-trīx

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) IPA^(key): /triːks/, [t̪riːks̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /triks/, [t̪riks]

Suffix

-trīx f (genitive -trīcis); third declension

1. -ess, -trix; used to form a feminine agent noun
2. (often poetic or derogatory) Used to form feminine versions of adjectives (in the same way as above), 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.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	-trīx	-trīcēs
Genitive	-trīcis	-trīcum
Dative	-trīcī	-trīcibus
Accusative	-trīcem	-trīcēs
Ablative	-trīce	-trīcibus
Vocative	-trīx	-trīcēs