-enne

1. a personal noun suffix occurring in loanwords from French, where it forms feminine nouns corresponding to masculine nouns ending in -en ( comedienne, doyenne ); on this model, of very limited productivity in English, forming distinctively feminine nouns from words ending in -an: equestrienne.

Gender Note

The few English words that end in -enne, indicating the feminine counterpart of a traditionally masculine term ending in -en or -an, usually carry little implication of inferiority. Many women, however, prefer that no distinction be made and that, as with other gender-specific words, the terms once reserved for males be applied to males and females alike. English is quite inconsistent in adopting such feminine nouns. Equestrian has the form equestrienne; pedestrian has no corresponding feminine term. Although we have both comedienne and tragedienne, there is no feminine variant for thespian. -ess, -ette, -trix.

Example Sentences

Startled crowds watched artists Sophia Moffa and Riikka Enne wipe bread on each other then proceed to eat it in Market Street on Wednesday.

From BBC

Ms Moffa, 24, who is originally from Rome, and Ms Enne, 28, from Tampere, Finland, said they were "pleasantly pleased" with the online attention they had gathered.

From BBC

The Manchester-based artists, who call themselves enne&moffa, said the "happening" was a nod to American performance artist Allan Kaprow.

From BBC

Forty-one-year-old Martell Smith is charged with homicide and arson in the deaths of 58-year-old Sandra Douglas, 21-year-old Shamira Staten and her daughter Chy’enne Manning.

From Washington Times

Forty-one-year-old Martell Smith is charged with homicide and arson in the deaths of 58-year-old Sandra Douglas, 21-year-old Shamira Staten and her daughter Chy’enne Manning.

From Seattle Times