herdess en · NOUN
Etymology
From herd + -ess.
Meanings
-
A shepherdess; a female herder.
She is the herdess fair that shines in dark, And gives her kids no food, but willows bark
a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| herdesses | Number=Plur | lexicographic |