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Definition 2024


-ix

-rix

See also: rix, rîx, and Rix

English

Suffix

-rix f (plural -rices)

  1. (dated) A suffix appended to words, chiefly verbs, to form female agent nouns.

Usage notes

  • For masculine agent nouns ending in -or, the feminine equivalent ending in -rix is the etymologically consistent form; however, in some cases the common feminine form has changed to become the one ending in -ess instead. For the sake of example, consider that the common feminine form of actor is actress, and no longer the earlier form actrix.
  • Relatively dated and not especially productive in modern English, where either gender-neutral terms or other suffixes, notably -ess, are generally preferred, as in actress rather than dated actrix.
  • Notably used in dominatrix, and, due to the popularity of this term, has some other use in erotic contexts.

Derived terms

  • Note that some of these derived terms may have been borrowed directly from Latin, rather than formed in English.
<a class='CategoryTreeLabel CategoryTreeLabelNs14 CategoryTreeLabelCategory' href='/wiki/Category:English_words_suffixed_with_-rix'>English words suffixed with -rix</a>

Synonyms

Other feminine affixes: