The word “poetess” is still understood, but it’s rarely used today.
Here’s why:
• It was once common to use gender-specific forms like poetess, actress, or authoress to refer to women.
• In modern English, most people prefer gender-neutral terms, so both men and women are now simply called poets.
• Poetess can sound old-fashioned or even patronising, depending on context, because it unnecessarily highlights gender.
You might still find poetess in historical writing or when referring to someone from the past (e.g. “Sappho, the ancient Greek poetess”), but in contemporary English, it’s best to use poet for everyone: “I’ve always admired Toni Morrison, a woman writer and poet who speaks so beautifully about life.”
