-esse

See also: esse, Esse, êsse, essē, and -êsse

Dutch

Etymology

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

Suffix

-esse

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

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

Derived terms

Dutch terms suffixed with -esse

---

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛs/

Etymology 1

From Old French -ece, from Latin -itiam, the accusative of -itia. See also -ise.

Suffix

-esse

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

Derived terms

• délicatesse
• étroitesse
• faiblesse
• gentillesse
• grossesse
• justesse
• largesse
• molesse
• noblesse
• petitesse
• richesse
• robustesse
• tristesse
• vitesse

 

Etymology 2

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

Suffix

-esse

1. -ess (female form)

Derived terms

• diablesse
• princesse
• tigresse

 

Descendants

• → Dutch: -es
• → English: -ess

Derived terms

French terms suffixed with -esse

---

Italian

Suffix

-esse

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

---

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

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

Synonyms

• -en (displaced)

Derived terms

Middle English terms suffixed with -esse

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

References

• “-ish, (suf.)”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 16 June 2018.

---

Middle French

Suffix

-esse

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

Derived terms

Middle French terms suffixed with -esse

Descendants

• French: -esse

---

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛ.si/
• Homophone: S

Suffix

-esse

1. -ess

Derived terms

Category Portuguese terms suffixed with -esse not found