-ess

CIDE DICTIONARY

-ess, [OF. -esse, LL. -issa, Gr. .].

A suffix used to form feminine nouns; as, actress, deaconess, songstress. [1913 Webster]

-ess, suffix forming nouns denoting females (actress; lioness; mayoress).

-ess, suffix forming abstract nouns from adjectives (duress).

Etymology

ME f. F -esse f. L -itia; cf. -ICE