-trix

American  

1. a suffix occurring in loanwords from Latin, where it formed feminine nouns or adjectives corresponding to agent nouns ending in -tor (Bellatrix ). On this model, -trix is used in English to form feminine nouns (aviatrix; executrix ) and geometrical terms denoting straight lines (directrix ).

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-trix British  

suffix

1. indicating a feminine agent, corresponding to nouns ending in -tor

   executrix

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Gender

A suffix borrowed directly from Latin, -trix has been used since the 15th century on feminine agent nouns that correspond to a masculine (in Latin) or generic (in English) agent noun ending in -tor: aviator, aviatrix; legislator, legislatrix; orator, oratrix. Most nouns in -trix have dropped from general use, so that terms like aviatrix, benefactrix, legislatrix, oratrix, and proprietrix occur rarely or not at all in present-day English. The forms in -tor are applied to both men and women: Her sister is the proprietor of a new restaurant. When relevant, gender is specified with the generic term: Amelia Earhart was a pioneer woman aviator. Legal documents still use administratrix, executrix, inheritrix, and the like, but these forms too are giving way to the -tor forms. See also -enne, -ess, -ette.

Etymology

Origin of -trix

From Latin -trīx, stem -trīc-

Example Sentences

General Mills learned in 2016 that shoppers weren’t fans of a new Trix cereal made with all-natural ingredients, including dyes derived from radishes, purple carrots and turmeric.

From The Wall Street Journal

I’m not sure what else will be left in a box of Trix or Lucky Charms when food coloring is removed, but I am opposed to fake food coloring, unless it’s in a cocktail, and I’d like to think most Americans are with me on this.

From Los Angeles Times

In 2016, Trix decided to start using radishes, purple carrots and turmeric to flavor its breakfast cereal, but consumers complained about its lack of color and the company decided to switch back to artificial dyes the following year.

From Salon

Most Americans are familiar with the Snap, Crackle and Pop kids, Tony the Tiger, the Lucky Charms leprechaun, the Trix rabbit, Toucan Sam from Froot Loops and dozens more.

From Salon

The camera lingers on a still image of the Trix Rabbit caught mid-hop as this stanza builds:

From Salon