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

In the ’90s, Lilly Pulitzer was revived after its founder’s retirement, transitioning to stretchier fabrics yet keeping the same amount of elegance and femininity in every new release. —Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 4 June 2026

Kin Coedel collaborated with Meti and Hijra women in Nepal in the creation of Between Reverence and Refusal, giving them recognition and exposing the paradox of a culture that venerates femininity in myth but doesn’t acknowledge those who embody it in everyday life. —Vogue, 1 June 2026

Scholars have documented how lighter skin tones and features perceived as closer to Eurocentric beauty standards may influence perceptions of desirability, femininity, professionalism, and trustworthiness. —Maia Niguel Hoskin, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026

Made from the brand’s best-selling breathable linen, the set is cool and casual, with an air of fancy femininity thanks to the stylish scallop detailing along the top’s cut-away front and the shorts’ hem. —Morgan Evans, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 May 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