shepherdess
/'ʃepədis/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A woman who tends, herds, and guards sheep: A "shepherdess" is a female shepherd, a woman whose occupation is to care for and manage a flock of sheep.
Usage
- The word "shepherdess" is used to specify the gender of the shepherd. It describes a woman performing the traditional pastoral role of guiding, feeding, and protecting sheep, often in rural or pastoral settings.
Examples
- Noun:
- The young shepherdess led her flock to the high pasture at dawn.
- In the painting, a shepherdess is depicted watching over her sheep in a peaceful valley.
Advanced Usage
- Historical/Literary Context: The term often evokes a romantic or pastoral image, frequently found in literature, poetry, and art, symbolizing innocence, rural life, or guidance.
- The poet wrote an ode to the gentle shepherdess of the hills.
Variants and Related Words
- Shepherd (noun): A person, typically without a specified gender, who tends sheep. This is the base word from which "shepherdess" is derived.
- The shepherd and his dog worked together to round up the sheep.
Synonyms
- Herder (noun): A person who looks after a herd of animals.
- Pastoralist (noun): A person involved in raising livestock, especially in a pastoral setting.
Related Phrases
- Shepherdess's crook: The long, hooked staff traditionally used by a shepherdess to manage her flock.
- The shepherdess used her crook to guide a stray lamb back to the group.