A female editor; a woman who edits written or visual material for publication.
From 'editor' plus the feminine suffix '-ess' (like 'actress' from 'actor'). This older form reflects historical gender-specific language, though 'editor' is now used regardless of gender.
The term 'editress' is mostly outdated now—modern English uses 'editor' for people of any gender, which happened as society realized you don't need separate words for jobs based on gender.
Feminized suffix '-ess' applied to editor in historical periods when editorial leadership was male-dominated and women editors were marked with gender-specific suffixes. Standard in 19th–mid-20th century; reflects assumption that feminine form requires marking while masculine is default.
Use 'editor' for all people regardless of gender. The '-ess' suffix is archaic and unnecessary in contemporary usage.
["editor"]
Women editors, particularly in newspapers, magazines, and publishing houses throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, built editorial authority despite being linguistically marginalized. Figures like Katharine Graham (Washington Post) and Dorothy Schiff (New York Post) led major publications—their titles should not require gender marking.
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