feminist

American  

[fem-uh-nist] / ˈfɛm ə nɪst /

adjective

1. advocating social, political, legal, and economic rights for women equal to those of men.

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noun

feminists plural

1. an advocate of such rights.

feminist British  

/ ˈfɛmɪnɪst /

noun

1. a person who advocates equal rights for women

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or advocating feminism

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antifeminist
  noun
• profeminist
  noun
• unfeminist
  noun
• antifeministic
  adjective
• nonfeminist
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• feminists
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

feminist feminists

For all these women, it took having terrible, even traumatizing experiences in these movements to make them realize that perhaps it’s not feminist claptrap to believe in equal rights and bodily autonomy.

From Salon ● Jul. 27, 2026

While staunchly feminist, Osterberg often expressed her vision in social Darwinist terms.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

The exhibit showcases other Mexican masters, including Kahlo’s husband, Diego Rivera, but the big draw has been Kahlo, whose oeuvre has become a touchstone of feminist and Latin American iconography.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

Crucially, as Wilcox and Stone see it, both faith-based and feminist ideologies can push dads toward greater involvement, turning conservative-religious and liberal fathers into mirror images.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

The same month Sojourner Truth made her speech, a history-making feminist friendship was forged between Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

But feminists should not be cowed — and not just because this case, a version of which was already litigated in Carroll’s favor, is likely to crumble in court.

From Salon ● May 29, 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

It is a distinction to which feminists are apparently alive, though one that may not have occurred to readers who have enjoyed the inner accounts of C.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 6, 2026

As she collected the prize, Dean dedicated the award to author Bell Hooks and "all the black feminists that inspire me to love better and love the people in my life".

From BBC ● Mar. 26, 2026

I was either hard-driving and angry or, with my garden and messages about healthy eating, I was a disappointment to feminists, lacking a certain stridency.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama