[1595–1605; joint(e)r + -ess]This word is first recorded in the period 1595–1605. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: exposure, premium, toss, vernacular, zero-ess is a suffix forming distinctively feminine nouns. Other words that use the affix-ess include: conductress, heiress, peeress, preceptress, stewardess