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Definition of poetess

poetess

/ˈpoʊ.ə.tɪs/
po · et · ess
Plural:poetesses
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poetess Lexical Profile

poetess Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A female poet; a woman who writes poetry (now chiefly historical or dated).

Example

"The nineteenth-century anthology celebrated the works of several prominent Victorian poetesses."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for poetess

Word Nuance & Usage

In contemporary usage, the gender-neutral term "poet" is strongly preferred for writers of all genders, as "poetess" is largely considered dated or patronizing except when referring to historical literary contexts.

• Nearby Words

podunk
poem
poet
poetess
poetic
poetical
poetically

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the late 14th century from Old French poëtesse, from Late Latin poetissa, formed from Latin poeta ("poet") and the feminine suffix -issa.

Cite this Entry

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