-trix

views updated

-trix suffix of L. fem. agent-nouns corr. to m. -TOR, as adjūtrix, imperātrīx, venātrīx, fems. of adjūtor helper, imperātor commander, venātor hunter; such sbs. were adopted from XV from L. of various periods, as administratrix, executrix, testatrix; (geom.) applied to certain straight lines or curves, as directrix.

More From encyclopedia.com