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Definition of murderess

murderess

/ˈmɝː.dɚ.əs/
mur · der · ess
Adverb:murderously
•
Plural:murderesses
•
Adjective:murderous
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murderess Lexical Profile

murderess Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A woman who commits murder.

Example

"The historical drama tells the story of a notorious nineteenth-century murderess and her trial in London."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for murderess

Word Nuance & Usage

In contemporary usage, the gender-neutral term 'murderer' is strongly preferred in legal and journalistic contexts, while 'murderess' is largely reserved for historical or literary settings.

• Rhymes for murderess

• Nearby Words

murcott
murder
murderer
murderess
murderous
murderously
mures river

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed in late Middle English from the noun 'murder' (from Old English 'morthor', meaning 'secret killing of a person') and the feminine suffix '-ess' (derived via Old French from Late Latin '-issa').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Murderess. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/murderess
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