female

1 of 2

adjective

fe·​male ˈfē-ˌmāl 

1

a(1)

: of, relating to, or being the sex that typically has the capacity to bear young or produce eggs

In a field of milkweed, I watched a female monarch butterfly deposit a single egg on the underside of a leaf.

—Tom Tyning

A few months later, she became the highest paid female performer on the Great White Way.

—Susannah McCorkle

(2)

botany : having or producing only pistils or pistillate flowers

a female holly

female inflorescences

b

: having a gender identity that is the opposite of male

c

: made up of usually adult members of the female sex : consisting of females

the female workforce

d

: characteristic of girls, women, or the female sex : exhibiting femaleness

composed for female voices

a female name

e

: designed for or typically used by girls or women

a female glove

f

: engaged in or exercised by girls or women

female suffrage

female political power

g

: having a quality (such as small size or delicacy of sound) sometimes associated with the female sex

female castanets

2

of a rhyme : having an unstressed final syllable : feminine sense 4b

a female rhyme

3

: designed with a hollow or groove into which a corresponding male part fits

the female coupling of a hose

femaleness noun

female

2 of 2

noun

1

a

: a female person : a woman or a girl

b

: an individual of the sex that is typically capable of bearing young or producing eggs

2

: a pistillate plant

Did you know?

In the 14th century, female appeared in English with such spellings as femel, femelle, and female. The word comes from the Latin femella, meaning “young woman, girl,” which in turn is based on femina, meaning “woman.” In English, the similarity in form and sound between the words female and male led people to use only the female spelling. This closeness also led to the belief that female comes from or is somehow related to male. However, apart from the influence of male on the modern spelling of female, there is no link between the origins of the two words.

Synonyms

Adjective

• feminine
• womanish
• womanlike
• womanly

Noun

• lady
• woman

Examples of female in a Sentence

Adjective

Most extension cords have a male plug on one end and a female plug on the other.

female standards of housekeeping imposed by the women at the vacation cottage weren't especially popular with the men

Noun

She attended a school where there were more males than females.

Females of this species weigh 8 to 10 pounds.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Her experience falls in line with another anonymous female worker, who spoke to The Bee last month. —Mathew Miranda, Sacramento Bee, 4 Apr. 2024

The fungus causes infected males to jerk their wings, making a familiar humming noise only made by female cicadas. —USA TODAY, 4 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, alteration of femel, femelle, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French femele, from Medieval Latin femella, from Latin, girl, diminutive of femina

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

female

1 of 2 noun

fe·​male ˈfē-ˌmāl 

: a female plant or animal

female

2 of 2 adjective

1

a

: of, relating to, or being the sex that bears young or produces eggs

b

: having only seed-producing flowers

a female holly

2

a

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the female sex

b

: made up of females

femaleness noun

Etymology

Noun

Middle English female "a girl or woman," an altered form of femel, femelle (same meaning), from early French femelle and Latin femella, both meaning "a girl or woman," from earlier Latin femella "a young woman, girl," from femina "woman" — related to feminine

Word Origin

In the 14th century, female appeared in English with such spellings as femel, femelle, and female. The word comes from the Latin femella, meaning "young woman, girl," which in turn is based on femina, meaning "woman." In English, the similarity in form and sound between the words female and male led people to use only the female spelling. This closeness also led to the belief that female comes from or is somehow related to male. However, apart from the influence of male on the modern spelling of female, there is no link between the origins of the two words.

Medical Definition

female

1 of 2 noun

fe·​male ˈfē-ˌmāl 

: an individual that bears young or produces eggs as distinguished from one that produces sperm

especially : a woman or girl as distinguished from a man or boy

female

2 of 2 adjective

: of, relating to, or being the sex that bears young or produces eggs