Words nearby female
Origin of female
SYNONYMS FOR female
1 See woman.
4–7 Female, feminine, effeminate are adjectives that describe women and girls or attributes and conduct culturally ascribed to them. Female, which is applied to plants and animals as well as to human beings, is a biological or physiological descriptor, classifying individuals on the basis of their potential or actual ability to produce offspring in bisexual reproduction. It contrasts with male in all uses: her oldest female relative; the female parts of the flower. Feminine refers essentially to qualities or behaviors deemed by a culture or society to be especially appropriate to or ideally associated with women and girls. In American and Western European culture, these have traditionally included features such as delicacy, gentleness, gracefulness, and patience: to dance with feminine grace; a feminine sensitivity to moods. Feminine is also, less frequently, used to refer to physical features: a lovely feminine figure; small, feminine hands. Effeminate is most often applied derogatorily to men or boys, suggesting that they have character or behavior traits culturally believed to be appropriate to women and girls rather than to men: an effeminate horror of rough play; an effeminate speaking style. See also womanly.
OTHER WORDS FROM female
fe·male·ness, nounan·ti·fe·male, adjectiveun·fe·male, adjectiveWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH female
female feminine (see synonym study at the current entry)Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for femaleness
British Dictionary definitions for femaleness
female
/ (ˈfiːmeɪl) /
adjective
noun
- a female animal or plant
- derogatory a woman or girl
Derived forms of female
femaleness, nounWord Origin for female
C14: from earlier femelle (influenced by male), from Latin fēmella a young woman, from fēmina a woman
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Medicine definitions for femaleness
female
[ fē′māl′ ]
adj.
Of, relating to, or denoting the sex that produces ova or bears young.
n.
A member of the sex that produces ova or bears young.
A woman or girl.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Science definitions for femaleness
female
[ fē′māl′ ]
Adjective
In organisms that reproduce sexually, being the gamete that is larger and less motile than the other corresponding gamete (the male gamete) of the same species. The egg cells of higher animals and plants are female gametes.
Possessing or being a structure that produces only female gametes. The ovaries of humans are female reproductive organs. Female flowers possess only carpels and no stamens.
Having the genitalia or other structures typical of a female organism. Worker ants are female but sterile.
Noun
A female organism.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.