Huntress

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈhʌntɹɪs/

Definitions

1. A skilled female involved in the pursuit of animals for food or recreation is known for her expertise in hunting techniques and strategies
2. This term signifies a woman who adeptly tracks and captures wildlife, displaying her talents in the art of hunting
3. A female who engages in the pursuit of game, demonstrating proficiency in hunting skills and the ability to track animals is identified as such

Etymology: Huntress is a plain formation: the noun "hunter" with the feminine suffix "-ess," which English borrowed from French and which has been attached to many agent nouns to mark a woman doing the job. The older form was "hunteress," which appears in Middle English as "hunteras," "hunteres," and "hunteresse," and "huntress" is a variant of that spelling. Scholars often connect the shortened form to the influence of words like "mistress," which had already settled into English with the same ending, though the exact pathway is not certain. Because the suffix is so transparent, the more interesting story is the older word beneath it. "Hunter" comes from Old English "huntian," meaning to chase or pursue game, so a huntress is literally a woman who pursues game. The word has long been used in poetry and myth for figures such as the goddess Diana, whose association with the chase gives the term its enduring pull.

Synonyms: female hunter