Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

shepherdess

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.20 in modern English

Syllables: shep-herdess
IPA

20

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A female shepherd.

Dated

noun

A large and deep armchair with a cushion.

Example Sentences

"I thought it a crime to refuse nature the maintenance of a life much more grievous than death. I changed my* dress for the simple habit of a shepherdess, and embraced this state as my only refuge; since that time all my consolation has been to weep over this grave, which shall be my own."
"A Faithful Shepherdess"
"September 2014, New York Film Festival to Revive Paul Grimault’s Animated Classic IndieWire the satirical The King And The Mockingbird follows a chimney sweep and shepherdess on the run from a tyrannical king"
"November 2014, It’s Taken Decades, But the Surreal Animated Film The King and the Mockingbird Is Finally Here Vulture The king is in love with a beautiful shepherdess in a painting on his wall, but she herself is in love with the handsome chimney sweep in the painting beside her."

Etymology

From Middle English scheperdesse, shepperdesse; equivalent to shepherd + -ess.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: scheperdesse
Suffix: shepherd

Usage

Dated

Inflected Forms

shepherdesses (plural)

Phrases

shepherdess pie

Synonyms

pastoress pastrix

Questions

What does shepherdess mean?: A female shepherd.
Where does shepherdess come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce shepherdess

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “shepherdess”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “shepherdess”.
Repeat and practice — Say “shepherdess” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.