femininity

noun

fem·​i·​nin·​i·​ty ˌfe-mə-ˈni-nə-tē 

1

: the quality or nature of the female sex : the quality, state, or degree of being feminine or womanly

challenging traditional notions about femininity and masculinity

… the women were visions of powerful femininity.

—Alan Shipnuck

2

: woman, womankind

… he was now to contrast her sharply with the best of what the Old World had to offer in the matter of femininity …

—Theodore Dreiser

Synonyms of femininity

• feminity

Examples of femininity in a Sentence

national costumes that accent masculinity and femininity

Recent Examples on the Web

The sweet sculptural dresses in Bahnsen’s collection were worn with nylon jackets and sweaters wrapped over the shoulder, with delicate floral details integrated into trims and hardware, balancing function with femininity. —Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 12 Mar. 2026

For all its public association with queerness, ballet remains largely committed to a frail, wispy femininity and a princely but muscular and explosive masculinity—with the stringent, often punishing body-shape standards to match. —Chloe Angyal, Time, 9 Mar. 2026

The result is a warm, bold, addictive fragrance that drips with sensuality and femininity, down to the curves of its signature gold and glass figure-eight amphora. —Claire Salinda, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026

The costs of enduring bullying, suppressing my inherent femininity, and failing to square my growing attraction to men with my religious upbringing all became clear over the next decade, in the form of a drug addiction, a few psych-ward stays, and the beginning of a long recovery. —Ben Appel, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing femininity

• hyper-femininity

Rhymes for femininity

• alkalinity
• consanguinity
• crystallinity
• masculinity
• affinity
• divinity
• infinity
• salinity
• vicinity
• virginity

Medical Definition

femininity

noun

fem·​i·​nin·​i·​ty ˌfem-ə-ˈnin-ət-ē 

plural femininities

: the quality or nature of the female sex