Basic Details
Word: Shepherdess
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A woman who looks after a flock of sheep.
Synonyms: herder, herdswoman
How to Spell Shepherdess
Syllables: shep - herd - ess
Tricky part: All the traps of shepherd are here (the h after p, the e in herd), and the ending -ess needs a double s.
Watch out for: sheperdess, shepherdes, shephardess
Memory tip: Get shepherd right first, then add -ess, the same feminine ending as princess, with its two s's.
Usage Examples
Example 1: In the folk tale, a clever shepherdess outwits the greedy king.
Example 2: The shepherdess counted her goats and sheep twice before closing the pen.
Example 3: A shepherdess in a bright red shawl sat singing on the hillside.
Fun Fact
In European paintings and porcelain of the 1700s, the shepherdess was a favourite subject, often shown in fine silk dresses far too grand for farm work.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Only one of these words takes the suffix -ess to form a feminine noun. Choose it:
ess
a) farmer
b) teacher
c) pilot
d) shepherd
Show answer
d) shepherd. Teacher, farmer and pilot are used for both men and women, while shepherd + ess gives shepherdess.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. waitres 2. governes 3. shepherdess 4. hostiss
a) a woman who receives and entertains guests
b) a woman employed to teach children at home
c) a woman who looks after sheep
d) a woman who serves food in a restaurant
Show answer
c) a woman who looks after sheep. Each of the others needs the ending -ess with two s's: hostess, waitress, governess.
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters:
sh_ph_rd_ss
a) e, a, e
b) i, e, e
c) e, e, i
d) e, e, e
Show answer
d) e, e, e. Sheep gives the first e, herd keeps its own e, and the feminine ending is -ess.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Where would you most likely find a shepherdess at work?
a) on a hillside with her flock
b) steering a large cargo ship
c) selling tickets at a cinema
d) at a desk inside a bank
Show answer
a) on a hillside with her flock
2. Which of these is NOT a feminine noun like shepherdess?
a) mattress
b) waitress
c) actress
d) princess
Show answer
a) mattress
