[1595–1605; vict(o)r + -ess]This word is first recorded in the period 1595–1605. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Creole, density, domain, toss, zero-ess is a suffix forming distinctively feminine nouns. Other words that use the affix-ess include: actress, mistress, preceptress, proprietress, stewardess