Authoresses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A female author, particularly one who writes works of fiction or literature
2. A woman who engages in the creation of literary works, often associated with novels, essays, or poetry
3. A female figure in the realm of writing, contributing original narratives or texts to the literary world

Etymology: "Authoresses" is the plural of "authoress," a word that combines "author" with the feminine suffix "-ess." The suffix came into English from Old French "-esse," which in turn came from Late Latin "-issa," itself borrowed from Greek "-issa," a marker for female agents. Words like "princess," "countess," and "actress" follow the same pattern. The base word "author" is the older and more interesting half. It came into Middle English from Old French "auctor" and ultimately from Latin "auctor," meaning a originator, founder, or guarantor, related to the verb "augere," to increase. The sense of writing a book came later, so an author was first someone who brought something into being or lent it authority. The form "authoress" appeared in Middle English as "aucteuresse," showing that English speakers needed a feminine version of "author" almost as early as they had the masculine one. The word has since fallen out of favour in many circles, where "author" is used for all writers regardless of gender.