-esse

See also: Appendix:Variations of "esse"

English

Suffix

-esse

1. Alternative form of -ess.

Derived terms

• finesse
• largesse
• noblesse
• richesse
• tristesse

Danish

Etymology

French -esse, from Latin -issa, from Ancient Greek -ισσα (-issa).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɛsə]

Suffix

-esse

1. -ess (female)
2. -ness

Derived terms

Danish terms suffixed with -esse

stewardesse

See also

• -ske
• -inde

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch -esse, borrowed from Old Northern French -esse, from Late Latin -issa (as in abbātissa (“abbess”)).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛ.sə/

Suffix

-esse

1. creates the female form of some persons or occupations, as English -ess

   secretaris (“secretary, receptionist”) – secretaresse (“female secretary, female receptionist”)

Derived terms

Dutch terms suffixed with -esse

bibliothecaresse

eigenaresse

jubilaresse

secretaresse

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛs/

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Somain)):

  (file)

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old French -ece, from Latin -itia. The modern spelling is due to a phonetic merger with etymology 2; see below. Related to -ise.

Suffix

-esse f (noun-forming suffix, plural -esses)

2. used to form nouns describing the condition of being something (-ness, -ity, etc.)

Derived terms

French terms suffixed with -esse (quality)

aînesse

allégresse

bassesse

délicatesse

étroitesse

faiblesse

finesse

gentillesse

grossesse

hardiesse

hautesse

indélicatesse

ivresse

jeunesse

joliesse

justesse

largesse

maladresse

mollesse

noblesse

petitesse

prestesse

prouesse

richesse

robustesse

rudesse

sagesse

scélératesse

simplesse

souplesse

sveltesse

tendresse

tristesse

vieillesse

vitesse

Etymology 2

Inherited from Middle French -esse, from Old French -esse, from Late Latin -issa, from Ancient Greek -ισσα (-issa).

Suffix

-esse f (noun-forming suffix, plural -esses)

2. -ess (female equivalent)
4. -ess (wife of)

Derived terms

French terms suffixed with -esse (female)

abbesse

acquéresse

ânesse

apôtresse

archiduchesse

bougresse

câpresse

centauresse

chanoinesse

clownesse

comtesse

déesse

diablesse

doctoresse

drôlesse

druidesse

duchesse

éléphantesse

Éloïse

-eresse

faunesse

fliquesse

gnomesse

gonzesse

hôtesse

isapôtresse

ivrognesse

mairesse

maîtresse

merlesse

mulâtresse

négresse

notairesse

ogresse

pairesse

papesse

patronnesse

pauvresse

pècheresse

pécheresse

poétesse

prêtresse

princesse

prophétesse

quakeresse

satyresse

sauvagesse

scribesse

seigneuresse

singesse

Suissesse

tigresse

traîtresse

vicomtesse

zébresse

French terms suffixed with -esse (wife)

archiduchesse

comtesse

doctoresse

dogaresse

duchesse

mairesse

maîtresse

notairesse

prêtresse

princesse

seigneuresse

vicomtesse

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈes.se/
• Rhymes: -esse
• Hyphenation: -és‧se

Suffix

-esse (non-lemma form of verb-forming suffix)

1. suffix forming the third-person singular imperfect subjunctive of -ere verbs

Anagrams

• sese

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old French -esse from Latin -issa, from Ancient Greek -ισσα (-issa).

Alternative forms

• -es, -ess, -asse, -as, -eyse, -eys, -eis, -isse, -ysse, -iss, -yss, -ys, -is

Suffix

-esse

2. Denotes a female form of otherwise male nouns denoting beings or persons.

Usage notes

• Terms suffixed in -er/-ere/-our have -esse added to the suffixed form, creating a pseudo-suffix -eresse, as in huntere (“hunter, huntsman”):hunteresse (“huntress”); this is partially a reinterpretation of Old French -eriz, from Latin -ātrīcem; compare French -eresse. The seeming exception sorceresse (not *sorcereresse) is built from Anglo-Norman sorcer (“sorcerer”), not sorcerere, which postdates sorceresse.

Synonyms

• -en (displaced)

Derived terms

Middle English terms suffixed with -esse

chaunteresse

countesse

emperice

enchaunteresse

feblesse

forgeresse

gloveres

governeresse

hostesse

hunteresse

Jewesse

maistresse

markisesse

neiȝboresse

patronesse

preesteresse

prophetesse

servauntesse

sorceresse

syngeresse

traytouresse

Descendants

• English: -ess

References

• “-esse, suf.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 24 June 2018.

Etymology 2

Suffix

-esse

1. alternative form of -yssh

Middle French

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old French -ece, from Latin -itia. The modern spelling is due to a phonetic merger with etymology 2; see below. Related to -ise.

Suffix

-esse

2. used to form nouns describing the condition of being something (-ness, -ity, etc.)

Derived terms

Middle French terms suffixed with -esse (quality)

delicatesse

hommesse

yvresse

Descendants

• French: -esse

Etymology 2

Inherited from Old French -esse, from Late Latin -issa, from Ancient Greek -ισσα (-issa).

Suffix

-esse

2. -ess (used to form feminine nouns from masculine ones)

Derived terms

Middle French terms suffixed with -esse (female)

contesse

diablesse

hommesse

Descendants

• French: -esse

Old French

Etymology

Inherited from Late Latin -issa, from Ancient Greek -ισσα (-issa).

Suffix

-esse

2. -ess (used to form feminine nouns from masculine ones)

Derived terms

Old French terms suffixed with -esse

contesse

defenderesse

homesse

Descendants

• Middle French: -esse
  • French: -esse