# -trix
## English
### Etymology

From Latin -trīx.

### Pronunciation

* (General American, Received Pronunciation) IPA: /tɹɪks/
* Audio (Southern England):(file)
* Rhymes: -ɪks

### Suffix

-trix f (plural -trices or -trixes)
* (dated, plural usually -trices) Found on the end of words, chiefly female agent nouns.
* (BDSM, plural usually -trixes) Forms nouns defining women who engage in specific forms of sexual dominance (by analogy with dominatrix)

#### Usage notes

* For masculine agent nouns ending in -tor, the feminine equivalent ending in -trix is the etymologically consistent form. However, -trix is relatively dated and not particularly productive in modern English, where either gender-neutral terms or other suffixes (notably -ess) are generally preferred, as in actress rather than dated actrix.

#### Synonyms

Other feminine affixes:
* -a
* -ess
* -ette
* -ine
* -ress
* she-

#### Derived terms

* Most of these derived terms were borrowed directly from Latin, rather than formed in English.
* accusatrix
* actrix
* adjutrix
* administratrix
* admonitrix
* advocatrix
* advotrix
* agitatrix
* alienatrix
* amatrix
* ambulatrix
* ancestrix
* annotatrix
* arbitratrix
* assassinatrix
* assestrix
* autocratrix
* aviatrix
* benefactrix
* bisectrix
* cantatrix
* castratrix
* causatrix
* coadjutrix
* co-executrix
* commotrix
* competitrix
* compilatrix
* compotrix
* compurgatrix
* conciliatrix
* concionatrix
* concitatrix
* confessatrix
* congregatrix
* conservatrix
* consolatrix
* consultrix
* contemplatrix
* co-operatrix
* correctrix
* corruptrix
* creatrix
* creditrix
* curatrix
* dedicatrix
* denunciatrix
* desertrix
* devoratrix
* dictatrix
* directrix
* dispensatrix
* dispositrix
* divinatrix
* doctrix
* dominatrix
* donatrix
* editrix
* educatrix
* effectrix
* electrix
* emancipatrix
* embassatrix
* emulatrix
* evocatrix
* executrix
* expenditrix
* explicatrix
* expugnatrix
* exterminatrix
* fabricatrix
* factrix
* fautrix
* fellatrix
* formatrix
* fornicatrix
* fundatrix
* generatrix
* genetrix
* genitrix
* gladiatrix
* glossatrix
* gubernatrix
* heretrix
* heritrix
* ianitrix
* imitatrix
* imperatrix
* impersonatrix
* impostrix
* impropriatrix
* indagatrix
* indicatrix
* inductrix
* inheritrix
* initiatrix
* inoculatrix
* inquisitrix
* inspectrix
* inspiratrix
* instigatrix
* institutrix
* insultatrix
* interlocutrix
* interpolatrix
* interrogatrix
* inventrix
* investigatrix
* janitrix
* lavatrix
* legislatrix
* liberatrix
* liferentrix
* masturbatrix
* matrix
* mediatrix
* meretrix
* moderatrix
* monitrix
* motrix
* narratrix
* negotiatrix
* nominatrix
* novatrix
* nutrix
* observatrix
* obstetrix
* operatrix
* oratrix
* ornatrix
* osculatrix
* ostentatrix
* paintrix
* perpetratrix
* persecutrix
* perspectrix
* perturbatrix
* pontificatrix
* prætrix
* praetrix
* precentrix
* premeditatrix
* preservatrix
* primogenitrix
* procreatrix
* procuratrix
* productrix
* progenitrix
* projectrix
* prolocutrix
* promotrix
* propagatrix
* proprietrix
* prosecutrix
* protectrix
* provocatrix
* pulveratrix
* quadratrix
* reconciliatrix
* rectrix
* regeneratrix
* regulatrix
* relatrix
* renovatrix
* rinatrix
* sarcomatrix
* senatrix
* separatrix
* sequestratrix
* sermocinatrix
* servitrix
* significatrix
* solicitrix
* spectatrix
* speculatrix
* stimulatrix
* syntractrix
* tectrix
* testatrix
* tractatrix
* tractrix
* translatrix
* trisectrix
* triumphatrix
* tutrix
* usurpatrix
* versificatrix
* victrix
* writrix
* zelatrix

### References

* ↑ “-trix, suffix”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.

## Latin
### Etymology

From Proto-Italic *-trīks, from Proto-Indo-European *-trih₂, from *-tḗr. Cognate with the Sanskrit suffix -त्री (-trī) as in जनित्री (janitrī, “mother”); compare genetrīx.
The origin of the medial -c- is unknown. Compare Proto-Slavic *-ica with the same element, and also with secondary thematicization.

### Pronunciation

* (Classical Latin) IPA: /triːks/, [t̪riːks̠]
* (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA: /triks/, [t̪riks]

### Suffix

-trīx f (genitive -trīcis); third declension
* -ess, -ress, -trix; attached to verb stems to form feminine agent nouns
* (often poetic or derogatory) Attached to verb stems to form feminine adjectives, often with a poetic quality and/or a negative connotation

#### Usage notes

The suffix -trīx is added to a verb to create a third-declension feminine form of an agent noun.
    Examples:
       cantrīx (“female singer”); feminine counterpart of cantor (“male singer”), from canō (“I sing”)
       tōnstrīx (“female hair cutter”); feminine counterpart of tōnsor (“male hair cutter”), from tondeō (“I shear, shave”)
       meretrīx (“prostitute", lit. "she who earns”), from mereō (“I merit, deserve, earn”)

#### Declension

Third-declension noun.

#### Related terms

* -tor

#### Descendants

* Catalan: -triu
* English: -trix, -tress, -ess (partially)
* French: -trice
* Italian: -trice
* Portuguese: -triz
* Sicilian: -trici
* Spanish: -triz