-enne

1. a personal noun suffix occurring in loanwords from French, where it forms feminine nouns corresponding to masculine nouns ending in -en ( comedienne, doyenne ); on this model, of very limited productivity in English, forming distinctively feminine nouns from words ending in -an: equestrienne.

Gender Note

The few English words that end in -enne, indicating the feminine counterpart of a traditionally masculine term ending in -en or -an, usually carry little implication of inferiority. Many women, however, prefer that no distinction be made and that, as with other gender-specific words, the terms once reserved for males be applied to males and females alike. English is quite inconsistent in adopting such feminine nouns. Equestrian has the form equestrienne; pedestrian has no corresponding feminine term. Although we have both comedienne and tragedienne, there is no feminine variant for thespian. -ess, -ette, -trix.

Example Sentences

Gif me hit nat naut; enne is hit gemeles vnder accidie at ich sloue cleopede.

From Project Gutenberg

Nu enne ef eani mot nedlunge habben hit loki hit namon ne eili ne ne hearmi ne hire oht ne beo nawiht ron ifestnet.

From Project Gutenberg

Nime we enne geme gif ure procession bi maked after ure helendes procession.

From Project Gutenberg

More mihte do ure helende enne e holi word e he urh his mu spec.

From Project Gutenberg

Nu is riht enne we demen us seolf eauer unmihtie to werien to witen us oer ei god to halden wi ute godes helpe.

From Project Gutenberg