Used only for female killers; 'murderer' is gender-neutral or used for males. The novel featured a cunning murderess.
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Legal Context
Common in legal situations describing a woman who has unlawfully taken a life. The murderess was sentenced to life in prison.
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Historical Usage
It's an old-fashioned term, less common in modern language, and may carry historical tones. In the 19th century, she would have been called a murderess.