preceptress

American  

[pri-sep-tris, pree-sep-] / prɪˈsɛp trɪs, ˈpri sɛp- /

noun

1. a woman who is an instructor; teacher; tutor.

2. a woman who is the head of a school.

---

Gender

See -ess.

Etymology

Origin of preceptress

precept(o)r + -ess

Example Sentences

She had a taste, which would have seemed ludicrous to her mates, if they had not felt some awe of her, from a touch of genius and power, that never left her, for costume and fancy dresses; always some sash twisted about her, some drapery, something odd in the arrangement of her hair and dress; so that the methodical preceptress dared not let her go out without a careful scrutiny and remodelling, whose soberizing effects generally disappeared the moment she was in the free air.

From Project Gutenberg

Hence the unexceptionable credentials which had introduced her to Nutley, had made her Vivien's preceptress, Vivien's bulwark against fear and weakness, Vivien's shield—and destined to be a shield to successive young ladies after Vivien.

From Project Gutenberg

But the plague of it was that the thought of the training brought with it the memory of the preceptress who had so ably carried out his orders.

From Project Gutenberg

The sage adviser, the firm preceptress, the model of the virtues of self-control—how would she have looked in the eyes of Vivien, even had the open, the triumphant victory come to pass?

From Project Gutenberg

"We are to have a new preceptress," said Joan, the elder, "vice the old Starling, seconded for service elsewhere."

From Project Gutenberg