Princess
/prɪnˈsɛs/
noun
Origin
Latin
princeps — first, foremost, leader
Overview
Meaning Now
- A female member of a royal family, specifically a daughter of a sovereign.
- The wife of a prince.
- A woman or girl having the rank of a princess.
Literal older meaning
The female equivalent of a prince, derived from Latin 'princeps' (first citizen/leader).
Language path
Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
princess
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The term entered English following the Norman Conquest, reflecting the hierarchical structures of continental European nobility. It denotes the feminine form of 'prince', which itself evolved from the Roman imperial title 'princeps'.
Evolution
- Latin
princeps
“first leader”
Compound of primus + capere.
- Old French
princesse
“female royal”
- Middle English
princess
“female royal”
Loaned from Old French.
Connections
Word parts
prince
root
royal male
-ess
suffix
feminine marker
Related across languages
French
princesse
princess
Spanish
princesa
princess
Related words
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Related to Princess
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.