feminine

[ fem-uh-nin ]

adjective

1. being or relating to to a woman or girl:

   feminine beauty;

   feminine dress.

2. having qualities traditionally ascribed to women, such as sensitivity or gentleness.
3. effeminate; womanish:

   Growing up, he had been told he had a feminine walk.

4. Grammar. noting or pertaining to that one of the three genders of Latin, Greek, German, etc., or one of the two genders of French, Spanish, Hebrew, etc., having among its members most nouns referring to females, as well as other nouns, as Latin stella “star,” or German Zeit “time.”

noun

, Grammar.

1. the feminine gender.
2. a noun or other element in or marking the feminine gender.

feminine

/ ˈfɛmɪnɪn /

adjective

1. suitable to or characteristic of a woman

   a feminine fashion

2. possessing qualities or characteristics considered typical of or appropriate to a woman
3. effeminate; womanish
4. grammar
   1. denoting or belonging to a gender of nouns, occurring in many inflected languages, that includes all kinds of referents as well as some female animate referents
   2. ( as noun )

      German Zeit ``time'' and Ehe ``marriage'' are feminines

Derived Forms

• ˈfemininely, adverb
• ˈfeminineness, noun

Other Words From

• femi·nine·ly adverb
• femi·nine·ness noun
• anti·femi·nine adjective
• anti·femi·nine·ly adverb
• anti·femi·nine·ness noun
• half-femi·nine adjective
• hyper·femi·nine adjective
• hyper·femi·nine·ly adverb
• hyper·femi·nine·ness noun
• over·femi·nine adjective
• over·femi·nine·ly adverb
• pseudo·femi·nine adjective
• super·femi·nine adjective
• ultra·femi·nine adjective
• un·femi·nine adjective
• un·femi·nine·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of feminine¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English femynyn(e), from Anglo-French, Old French: feminine of adjective feminin, from Latin fēminīnus, equivalent to fēmin(a) “woman” ( fetus ) + -īnus -ine ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of feminine¹

C14: from Latin fēminīnus, from fēmina woman

Synonym Study

See female.

Example Sentences

Often, I came across feminine characters on the street that walked with an exaggerated animation, hips swaying as though they were models, sauntering down a catwalk.

From Washington Post

Women’s cycling apparel maker Machines for Freedom is known for its boldly feminine, eye-catching floral prints.

From Outside Online

At one point in my teens I was seen as a person who was too feminine.

From Washington Blade

In that case, Ann Hopkins received advice from her employer that, if she wanted to make partner at the firm, she should act more feminine.

From No Straight News

I think that a lot of people thought, well, you’re saying girls can’t be feminine.

From Freakonomics

The looks were slightly more feminine (and by slightly, we really mean slightly).

From The Daily Beast

All other issues—racial, feminine, even environmental—need to fit around this central objective.

From The Daily Beast

These crimes of fashion proved the men were feminine and thus gay and therefore worthy of incarceration.

From The Daily Beast

In Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen defends the novel against critics who dismiss it as frivolous and feminine.

From The Daily Beast

“I had this feminine, classical image [of myself] that would have totally been destroyed,” she said.

From The Daily Beast

This unreasoning, feminine obstinacy so wrought upon him that he permitted himself a smile and a lapse into irony and banter.

From Project Gutenberg

Under all man's dreams of eternal gods and eternal heavens lies man's passion for the eternal feminine.

From Project Gutenberg

The plain furniture was stiffly arranged, and there was no litter of clothing or small feminine belongings.

From Project Gutenberg

She made me a profound and graceful curtsey—feminine homage to my budding manhood.

From Project Gutenberg

Her eyes are in a measure open now, but it is too late, and she rebels in the usual futile feminine way.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• female
• femalelike
• gentle
• soft
• tender
• womanish
• womanlike
• womanly