-ess

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Table of contents

1 English 1.1 Suffix 1.1.1 Usage Notes 1.2 See Also

English

Suffix

-ess, plural -esses

1. Suffix appended to words to make a female form

   authoress

   lioness

   actress

   princess

Usage Notes

• Professions ending in -ter or -tor change to -tr when this suffix is added.

  A female sempster is a sempstress; a female actor is an actress.

• Some women consider the use of this suffix to be sexist and prefer to be referred to using the masculine form instead.

  Glenda Jackson is a famous actor.

See Also

• -a
• -ette
• -ix