sorceress
UK[ˈsɔː.sər.əs]US[ˈsɔːr.sɚ.əs]
n
a woman who practices magic, especially evil magic; a female sorcerer.
Morpheme Breakdown
sorcer
ess
sorcer
sorcery
ess
female suffix
Etymology
the word 'sorceress' has a layered history connecting fate to magic. its core, 'sorcer', originates from the latin sors (genitive sortis), meaning 'lot' or 'fate', reflecting the ancient belief that divination and magic were means of discerning or influencing destiny. this root passed into old french as sorcier, a term for a practitioner of such arts. the english word 'sorcerer' was formed from this, and the feminine agent suffix '-ess', derived via old french from late latin -issa, was appended to specify a female practitioner. thus, 'sorceress' literally denotes a 'female influencer of fate', a meaning that has evolved to focus more on the practice of magic, often with sinister connotations.
Analysis
Structure: sorcer (sorcery) + ess (female suffix)
sorcer (from old french sorcier, meaning 'sorcerer', ultimately from latin sors, sort-, meaning 'lot, fate, fortune'); ess (a suffix of middle english origin, from old french -esse, used to form nouns denoting female beings).
Examples
the sorceress cast a spell that put the entire kingdom to sleep.
in the legend, the hero sought the wisdom of the ancient sorceress to break the curse.
she was feared and shunned by the villagers, who believed her to be a malevolent sorceress.