ogress

Origin

Uncertain. Attested in this form since 1572. The French term ogoesse is only attested later (1611 in an English dictionary, 1690 in a French dictionary) and may be derived from English. The 1486 Book of Coat Armour in the Book of St. Albans says "gonestonys" are called "oglys" in heraldic blazon; perhaps someone in the 1500s misread ogles as ogres(s) and mistook the plural for a singular, compare the use of pommeis (“roundel(s) vert”) as a singular. The form agresses is found in some 18th century works, alongside ogresses.