feminist
Americanadjective
noun
-
feminists
plural
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of feminist
First recorded in 1850–55 (probably in the current sense, but possibly in the sense “feminine, womanly”); from Latin fēmina “woman” + -ist ( def. )
Explanation
A feminist is someone who supports equal rights for women. If your brother objects strongly to women being paid less than men for doing the same job, he's probably a feminist. If you believe that women should have the same political, social, and economic rights as men, you are a feminist. It has absolutely nothing to do with putting down men or boys in order to elevate the status of women. The word feminist comes from feminism, which originally meant simply "being feminine," or "being a woman," but gained the meaning "advocacy of women's rights" in the late 1800s.
Vocabulary lists containing feminist
When Fake is Real: Young People Rebel Against Instagram, Via Instagram
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Brown Girl Dreaming
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Chapter 29: The Civil Rights Era
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
So wrote publisher Henry Lawson in his preface to the original 1901 edition of what has become a classic of both Australian and feminist literature, about coming of age as a writer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
"So really it's a misunderstood hotbed of feminist advancement - because it disguised its purposes so carefully."
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Bess Wohl’s “Liberation,” this year’s most decorated play, reanimates the history of the 1970s feminist movement by questioning what it could be leaving out of the picture.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
But Stephania lived in turmoil, because she was a feminist at heart.
From Salon ● Jun. 8, 2026
I may be a feminist fatale, but I can’t seem to do anything about these chapped lips.
From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray
In what way do tradwives and feminists need each other?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026
Being married while working is standard operating procedure for many feminists.
From Salon ● Apr. 13, 2026
Except, of course, feminists have also pushed for policies that make this possible for women, such as affordable daycare, while also calling on men to do their fair share at home.
From Salon ● Apr. 13, 2026
The accessory is brandished by some feminists as "a sign of the advancement of women's rights and then their visibility in the public space", said fashion historian Marine Chaleroux.
From Barron's ● Jan. 31, 2026
"Yeah," we concur, hands on our hips, facing him, a line-up of feminists.
From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
