[a. L. administrātr-ix, fem. of ADMINISTRATOR: See -TRIX.]
1. gen. A female administrator; an administratress.
1790. Burke, Fr. Revol., Wks. V. 63. The princess Sophia was named … as a temporary administratrix.
1859. G. Wilson, Life of Forbes, iv. 126. A mighty change passing over Medicine as an administratrix of substances, which in one sense are food, in another medicine, in another poison.
2. spec. A woman appointed to administer the estate of an intestate.
1626. Cockeram, Administratrix, a woman in that place [i.e., as administrator].
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., xi. (1840), 27. Her daughter had little comfort to be executrix or administratrix unto her.
1751. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Administrator, If a woman have goods thus committed to her charge, or administration, she is called administratrix.
¶ The special meaning is the earlier; and it is due to its technical use as a legal term that the Latin form of the word has been retained, rather than the still earlier administress, and the later administratress and administratrice.
