feminine

1 of 2

adjective

fem·​i·​nine ˈfe-mə-nən How to pronounce feminine (audio)
1
a
: considered to be characteristic of women
stereotypically feminine traits/characteristics
feminine charm/beauty
: marked by or having qualities, features, etc. traditionally associated with women
… the actress gave the classic black-and-white tuxedo a feminine spin with a Ralph Lauren jumpsuit. Accessories included diamond necklaces and earrings, black pumps, and a black bow tie.Chelsey Sanchez
While traditionally considered feminine, floral scents are gaining popularity in men's fragrances.The Salt Lake Tribune
b
: of, relating to, or being a woman or girl
(dated) the feminine [=female] members of the family
"She was like a feminine version of Mick Jagger," says Sheryl Crow, a good friend and collaborator …Jada Yuan
also : of, relating to, or intended for women or girls
feminine empowerment
feminine sexuality
(dated) This classification includes all feminine [=women's] garments commonly known as lounge or hostess wear … Federal Register
c
: of or relating to feminine hygiene
feminine products
2
grammar : of, relating to, or constituting the gender (see gender entry 1 sense 1a) that ordinarily includes most words or grammatical forms referring to females as well as other words and forms either systematically or arbitrarily in the same category
The word for "cat" is feminine in German (die Katze) and masculine in Spanish (el gato).
3
a
poetry : being an unstressed and usually additional final syllable after the final complete foot (see foot entry 1 sense 4) in a line of verse
a feminine ending
b
of rhyme : having an unstressed final syllable
4
of a musical cadence : ending on an unaccented beat
a short, wistful piece ending with a feminine cadence
femininely adverb
feminineness noun

compare masculine

feminine

2 of 2

noun

plural feminines
1
grammar
a
: a noun, pronoun, adjective, or inflectional form or class of the feminine (see feminine entry 1 sense 2) gender
b
: the feminine (see feminine entry 1 sense 2) gender
2
a
: the embodiment or conception of an idealized feminine nature
the power of the divine feminine
b
: the set of qualities, features, etc. traditionally associated with women
… art that celebrates women but also confronts and explores representations of the feminine.Samantha Cooper
… Ellen in her fine suit of black, with her cloak and high-heeled boots, looking, in every respect, like a young gentleman; in an hour after having dropped her male attire, and assumed the habiliments of her sex the feminine only was visible in every line and feature of her structure.William Still

compare masculine

Examples of feminine in a Sentence

Adjective The book examines the subject from a feminine perspective. They've added some feminine touches to the decor. The feminine form of the Spanish adjective “lindo” is “linda.” Noun The feminine of the Spanish adjective “lindo” is “linda.”
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
In January, Dixon sold a majority stake in her feminine care company to investment firm Compass Diversified for $380 million. Jabari Young, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024 Extravagance is in—and many designers, from Valentino to Chloe, are capturing feminine flights of fancy with eccentric details, bold colors, and modern silhouettes. Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 3 Oct. 2024
Noun
Known for his ’70s skinny silhouettes, this collection is unique to what the designer usually creates, with feminine with boarding school pleats done in light summer cashmere, short summer coats made of suede or glazed lambskin, and pencil skirts and mini A-line skirts. Allyson Portee, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Oct. 2024 And in others, the spiritual influence of the feminine, of Mother ... is not even recognized. Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 3 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for feminine 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'feminine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

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

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of feminine was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near feminine

Cite this Entry

“Feminine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feminine. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

feminine

1 of 2 adjective
fem·​i·​nine ˈfem-ə-nən How to pronounce feminine (audio)
1
: of the female sex
2
: characteristic of or belonging to women : womanly
3
: of, relating to, or making up the class of words that ordinarily includes most of those referring to females
a feminine noun in Latin
femininely adverb
feminineness noun
femininity
ˌfem-ə-ˈnin-ət-ē
noun

feminine

2 of 2 noun
1
: a word or form of the feminine gender
2
: the feminine gender
Etymology

Adjective

Middle English feminine "female," from early French feminin (same meaning), derived from Latin femina "woman" — related to female see Word History at female

Medical Definition

feminine

adjective
fem·​i·​nine ˈfem-ə-nən How to pronounce feminine (audio)
1
: female
2
: characteristic of or appropriate or peculiar to women

More from Merriam-Webster on feminine

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