womanliness

noun

wom·​an·​li·​ness ˈwu̇-mən-lē-nəs How to pronounce womanliness (audio)
: the quality or state of being womanly (as in having qualities such as beauty or gentleness that are traditionally associated with a woman)
After decades of defining ideal womanliness based on humility and positivity, it's no wonder we're thrown off by one who stands up and says, I'm angry, I was wronged, and I deserve to be here.Monica Hesse
Other houses flirted with relaxed interpretations of womanliness—fluid skirts and feminine knits at Hermes, for instance.The Windsor (Ontario) Star

Word History

First Known Use

1538, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of womanliness was in 1538

Dictionary Entries Near womanliness

Cite this Entry

“Womanliness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/womanliness. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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