murderess
She who kills
A murderess is a female murderer—a woman who has committed murder.
The word is old-fashioned; modern usage typically applies murderer to people of any sex.
The tabloids called her a cold-blooded murderess.
Like actress and poetess, the -ess suffix marking female gender has largely fallen out of favor.
One who causes death
- slayerOne who kills
- assassinPaid murderer of targets
- homicideCausing another's death
- perpetratorOne who commits wrongdoing
culprit · convict · felon · offender · defendant · prisoner · incarcerated · guilty
Having a terrible reputation
- scandalousMorally offensive or shocking
- sensationalArousing intense excitement
- tabloidSensationalist newspaper format
- headlineNews article title
trial · verdict · confession · motive · premeditated · cold-blooded · calculated · scheming
Evil female character
- antagonistOne who opposes another
- antiheroineFlawed female lead character
- noirHard-boiled film genre
- thrillerSuspense-driven narrative genre
whodunit · mystery · suspense · crime fiction · Lady Macbeth · Medea · Clytemnestra · melodrama
No longer in use
- genderedCategorized by sex
- VictorianOf a prim era
- EdwardianOf early twentieth-century Britain
- periodPunctuation ending sentences
historical · antiquated · old-fashioned · quaint · formal · indictment · gallows · scaffold
killer
One who causes death
perpetrator · culprit · convict · felon · offender · defendant · prisoner · incarcerated · guilty · villainess
infamous
Having a terrible reputation
- scandalousMorally offensive or shocking
- sensationalArousing intense excitement
- tabloidSensationalist newspaper format
headline · trial · verdict · confession · motive · premeditated · cold-blooded · calculated · scheming · cunning
villainess
Evil female character
- antagonistOne who opposes another
- antiheroineFlawed female lead character
- noirHard-boiled film genre
thriller · whodunit · mystery · suspense · crime fiction · Lady Macbeth · Medea · Clytemnestra · melodrama · penny dreadful
outdated
No longer in use
period · historical · antiquated · old-fashioned · quaint · formal · indictment · gallows · scaffold · condemned cell
murderessheroine
Brave female protagonist
saint · defender · policewoman · guardian · protectress
- axe murdererOne who kills with a chopping tool
- mass murdererOne who kills many
- axe murderedKilled with heavy blade
- murderers' rowFearsome group of talents
- Making a MurdererTrue crime docuseries