feminine

¹fem·i·nine

adj \ˈfe-mə-nən\

Definition of FEMININE

1

: female 1a(1)

2

: characteristic of or appropriate or unique to women <feminine beauty> <a feminine perspective>

3

: of, relating to, or constituting the gender that ordinarily includes most words or grammatical forms referring to females <a feminine noun>

4

a : being an unstressed and usually hypermetric final syllable <a feminine ending> b of rhyme : having an unstressed final syllable c : having the final chord occurring on a weak beat <music in feminine cadences>

— fem·i·nine·ly adverb

— fem·i·nine·ness \-nə(n)-nəs\ noun

Examples of FEMININE

1. The book examines the subject from a feminine perspective.
2. They've added some feminine touches to the decor.
3. The feminine form of the Spanish adjective “lindo” is “linda.”

Origin of FEMININE

Middle English, from Anglo-French feminin, from Latin femininus, from femina woman; akin to Old English delu nipple, Latin filius son, felix, fetus, & fecundus fruitful, felare to suck, Greek thēlē nipple

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to FEMININE

Synonyms: female, womanish, womanlike, womanly

Antonyms: unfeminine, unwomanly

Related Words: girlie (or girly), girlish; effeminate, effete, epicene, sissified, sissy, unmanly; ladylike; distaff, petticoat; ultrafeminine

Near Antonyms: boyish, hoydenish, tomboyish; male, manlike, manly, mannish, masculine, virile; androgynous, neuter; Amazonian, butch; hairy-chested, hypermasculine, macho

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Other Biology Terms

autochthonous, fecund, homunculus, phylogeny, substrate