Captivatrix

/ˌkæptɪˈveɪtrɪks/ noun

Definition

A female person who captivates; a woman who has the power to charm or fascinate others.

Etymology

From Latin captivator (one who captivates) plus the feminine suffix -trix, which creates specifically female forms of Latin-derived agent nouns.

Kelly Says

Captivatrix is a rare word that shows how Latin and English both had specific female endings, making a woman's power to enchant linguistically distinct from a man's—it's a window into how language encoded gender in older times.

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

Captivatrix uses the Latin feminine suffix -trix (like aviatrix, directrix). While not inherently biased, it reflects the historical practice of gendering feminine-form words as exceptional or secondary to unmarked masculine forms.

Inclusive Usage

Use captivator regardless of gender. The -trix suffix is archaic in modern English; reserve for historical or Latin contexts only.

Inclusive Alternatives

["captivator","one who captivates"]

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