-estere

== Middle English == === Alternative forms === -ester, -estre, -ister, -istre, -star, -stare, -ster, -stere, -uster, -ysstere === Etymology === Inherited from Old English -estre, from Proto-West Germanic *-astrijā. The change from -estre to -estere is probably due to analogy with -ere and apocopated forms of this suffix (i.e. -ester). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /-(ə)stər(ə)/, /-(ə)strə/ === Suffix === -estere Forms (often feminine) agent nouns from other nouns or verbs; -ster, -ress. ==== Usage notes ==== Some nouns formed with this suffix exclusively refer to women throughout the Middle English period, while others come to refer to men as well; a few Middle English formations (e.g. demestere) are only found referring to men. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== English: -ster ⇒ English: -stress Scots: -ster ==== References ==== “--estre, -(e)ster, suf.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.