-estere

Middle English

Alternative forms

• -ester, -estre, -ister, -istre, -star, -stare, -ster, -stere, -uster, -ysstere

Etymology

Inherited from Old English -estre, from Proto-West Germanic *-astrijā. The change from -estre to -estere is probably due to analogy with -ere and apocopated forms of this suffix (i.e. -ester).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /-(ə)stər(ə)/, /-(ə)strə/

Suffix

-estere

1. Forms (often feminine) agent nouns from other nouns or verbs; -ster, -ress.

Usage notes

• Some nouns formed with this suffix exclusively refer to women throughout the Middle English period, while others come to refer to men as well; a few Middle English formations (e.g. demestere) are only found referring to men.

Derived terms

Middle English terms suffixed with -estere

Descendants

• English: -ster
  • ⇒ English: -stress
• Scots: -ster

References

• “--estre, -(e)ster, suf.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.