English edit

Etymology edit

From instructor +‎ -ess.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

instructress (plural instructresses)

  1. (dated) A female instructor.
    • 1741, Samuel Richardson, letter VI, in Pamela[1], Volume IV, page 38:
      [] you must allow me to look upon you as my Scholar, in one Sense; as my Companion, in another; and as my Instructress, in a third.
    • 1814 July, [Jane Austen], chapter I, in Mansfield Park: [], volume I, London: [] T[homas] Egerton, [], →OCLC, page 15:
      After a short pause Sir Thomas added with dignity, "Yes, let her home be in this house. We will endeavour to do our duty by her, and she will at least have the advantage of companions of her own age, and of a regular instructress."
    • 1897, Henry James, chapter IV, in What Maisie Knew[2]:
      If she knew her instructress was poor and queer she also knew she was not nearly so ‘qualified’ as Miss Overmore, who could say lots of dates straight off [] .

Synonyms edit

Translations edit