feminized

adjective

fem·​i·​nized ˈfe-mə-ˌnīzd How to pronounce feminized (audio)
: made feminine or more feminine
… the crucial influence of gay subculture on every style from the Teds [=teddy boys] to the 'feminized New Man' of the late 1980s has been thoroughly discussed …Margaret Sarkissian
: notably female or feminine in quality or character
But as detective-readers schooled by a patriarchal ideology, we might overlook the most telling sign of woman's presence: the playful, sensual, feminized textuality which utterly frustrates a masculine desire-to-know.Jeanne Holland
Other employees have feminized objects on their desks: artificial flowers, birthday cards, picture frames, souvenir lighters.Susan Daitch

Examples of feminized in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Nimona’s specific pink is a bit bolder than a pastel, the latter of which can evoke a more feminized interpretation. Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 July 2023 The feminized series from creator Alice Birch thrusts the 1988 story into modern day as the Mantles (who were played by Jeremy Irons in the movie) set out to revolutionize childbirth. Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Apr. 2023 These were glamorous affairs, akin to an afternoon tea party, where women dressed up because the parties were a feminized, soft-sell approach to selling plastic products. Parija Kavilanz, CNN, 13 Apr. 2023 Thandiwe Newton took a stand against Sean Penn after the actor and filmmaker made headlines for comments about men becoming too feminized in American culture. Zack Sharf, Variety, 31 Jan. 2022 Gabriel was an angel in the Bible, and Gabriella is the feminized form of this name. Martha Sorren, Woman's Day, 11 July 2022 While textiles have since been widely accepted by the mainstream art world—and are especially prominent in today’s contemporary scene—they were largely considered second-class materials when Ms. Ringgold started using them, and quilting was degraded as a feminized, vernacular form. Brian P. Kelly, WSJ, 9 Mar. 2022 Try the feminized, auto-flowering varieties. Jeff Lowenfels, Anchorage Daily News, 20 Jan. 2022 Joan has suffered the usual slings and arrows of academic misogyny—decades serving the department in thankless, feminized ways; never getting to go up for tenure—but reaches her limit when she is relegated to a shabby office in the basement of the athletics building. Lidija Haas, The New Republic, 3 Sep. 2021 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

1652, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of feminized was in 1652

Dictionary Entries Near feminized

Cite this Entry

“Feminized.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/feminized. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.

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