Meaning of -ess | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Used to form female equivalents.
   morpheme
2. Used to form nouns from adjectives.
   idiomatic, morpheme
3. Used to form proper nouns from nouns.
   idiomatic, morpheme
4. The wife of.
   morpheme

Equivalents

Examples

“actor + -ess → actress”

“chanter + -ess → chantress”

“duke + -ess → duchess (“female ruler of a duchy”)”

“god + -ess → goddess”

“lion + -ess → lioness”

“prince + -ess → princess (“daughter of monarch (holding this title in her own right, who would become a queen regnant); the female equivalent of a prince”)”

“alderman + -ess → aldermaness (“alderman’s wife”)”

“duke + -ess → duchess (“duke’s wife”)”

“mayor + -ess → mayoress (“mayor’s wife”)”

“priest + -ess → priestess (“priest’s wife”)”

“prince + -ess → princess (“prince’s wife (who would become a queen consort)”)”

“squire + -ess → squiress (“squire’s wife”)”

CEFR level