What does -ess mean?
-ess means Used to form female equivalents..
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/ɛs/ · suffix
Used to form female equivalents..
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”)
Use -ess when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.
-ess means Used to form female equivalents..
Common synonyms include -a, -ette, -ine, -ress.
Possible antonyms include he-.
actor + -ess → actress
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