Latin

Suffix

-trīx f ‎(genitive -trīcis); third declension

1. -ess, -rix; used to form a feminine agent noun
2. Used to form feminine versions of adjectives (in the same way as above), often with a poetic quality and/or a negative connotation

Usage notes

The suffix -trīx is added to a verb to create a third-declension feminine form of an agent noun.

Examples:

cantrīx ‎(“female singer”); feminine counterpart of cantor ‎(“male singer”), from canō ‎(“I sing”)

tōnstrīx ‎(“female hair cutter”); feminine counterpart of tōnsor ‎(“male hair cutter”), from tondeō ‎(“I shear, shave”)

meretrīx ‎(“prostitute", lit. "she who earns”), from mereō ‎(“I merit, deserve, earn”)

Inflection

Third declension.

Related terms

• -tor

Descendants

• Catalan: -triu
• English: -rix
• French: -trice
• Italian: -trice
• Portuguese: -triz
• Spanish: -triz

See also