shepherdess

noun

Etymology: From Middle English scheperdesse, shepperdesse; equivalent to shepherd + -ess.

1. A female shepherd.

   “I thought it a crime to refuse nature the maintenance of a life much more grievous than death. I changed my* dress for the simple habit of a shepherdess, and embraced this state as my only refuge; since that time all my consolation has been to weep over this grave, which shall be my own.”

   “A Faithful Shepherdess”

2. A large and deep armchair with a cushion.