[1720–30; inquisit(o)r + -ess]This word is first recorded in the period 1720–30. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: arrangement, berm, deadwood, personify, saloon-ess is a suffix forming distinctively feminine nouns. Other words that use the affix-ess include: actress, preceptress, proprietress, stewardess, waitress