empress

[em-pris]

noun

1. a female ruler of an empire.

2. the consort of an emperor.

empress

/ ˈɛmprɪs /

noun

1. the wife or widow of an emperor

2. a woman who holds the rank of emperor in her own right

3. a woman of great power and influence

Gender Note

See -ess.

Word History and Origins

Origin of empress¹

1125–75; Middle English emperice, emperesse < Anglo-French; Old French emperesse, empereriz < Latin imperātrīcem, accusative of imperātrix, feminine of imperātor. See emperor, -trix

Word History and Origins

Origin of empress¹

C12: from Old French empereriz, from Latin imperātrix feminine of imperātor _emperor