femme

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈfem 

variants or less commonly fem

1

: woman sense 1a

2

: a lesbian who is notably or stereotypically feminine in appearance and manner

feme

2 of 2

noun (2)

ˈfem, 

ˈfēm

plural -s

1

or less commonly femme

ˈfem

: wife

—used in heraldry correlatively with baron

2

law : woman

the feme plaintiff

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

probably from French femme woman, from Old French feme, from Latin femina

Noun (2)

Anglo-French, from Old French, woman, wife, female, from Latin femina woman, female

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1814, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing femme

• femme fatale

Rhymes for femme

• clem
• em
• gem
• hem
• phlegm
• rem
• stem
• them
• atm
• diadem
• ibidem
• meristem