Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “-ess” come from?

-ess (English) comes from French -esse, from Italian -essa, from Portuguese -esa, from Spanish -esa, from Spanish -és, from Spanish política, from Spanish político, from Latin polīticus — Used to form nouns representing state of being.

-ess (English): Suffix appended to words to make a female...

Definitions

  1. Suffix appended to words to make a female...

Ancestry of “-ess”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1French-esseused to form nouns describing the condition of...
2Italian-essa-ess
3Portuguese-esafeminine singular of -ês
4Spanish-esafeminine singular of -és
5Spanish-ésForms nouns and adjectives of nationality;...
6Spanishpolíticapolitics; policy; female equivalent of político
7Spanishpolíticopolitical; in-law; politician
8Latinpolīticus—
9Swedishpolitiskpolitical, having to do with politics
10Swedishpolitikpolitics
11Ancient Greekπολιτικόςcivic, constitutional, public; social
12Ancient Greekπολῑ́τηςcitizen
13Ancient Greek-τηςForms nouns representing a state of being; Added...
14Proto-Hellenic-tāts—
15Proto-Indo-European-teh₂tsUsed to form nouns representing state of being
16Proto-Indo-European-teh₂Used to form nouns representing state of being

Words derived from “-ess”

  • waitress
  • heiress
  • priestess
  • baroness
  • lioness
  • seamstress
  • authoress
  • stewardess
  • poetess
  • laundress
  • shepherdess
  • benefactress
  • murderess
  • adulteress
  • huntress
  • prioress
  • adventuress
  • protectress
  • ancestress
  • temptress
  • portress
  • deaconess
  • proprietress
  • giantess
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -teh₂ →