Feminine Definition

feminine

English

Etymology

From Old French feminin, from Latin fēminīnus, from fēmina (“woman”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-m̥n-eh₂ (“who sucks”). Related to fetus, feminism, filial, fellatio.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈfɛmɪnɪn/, /ˈfɛmənɪn/

• Audio (US)

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Adjective

feminine (comparative more feminine, superlative most feminine)

1. Of the female sex; biologically female, not male, womanly.
2. Belonging to females; appropriated to, or used by, females.

   Mary, Elizabeth, and Edith are feminine names.

3. Having the qualities associated with a woman or the female gender; suitable to, or characteristic of, a woman; nurturing; not masculine or aggressive.

   Her heavenly form Angelic, but more soft and feminine — John Milton

   Her letters are remarkably deficient in feminine ease and grace — Thomas Babington Macaulay

   Ninus being esteemed no man of war at all, but altogether feminine, and subject to ease and delicacy — Sir Walter Raleigh

4. (grammar) Grammatical gender distinction in languages that describes nouns including those pertaining to females and objects that are assigned the feminine gender.

Synonyms

• (of the female sex): female, womanly
• (having qualities of female gender): caring, ladylike, nurturing

Antonyms

• (of the female sex): male, manly
• (having qualities of female gender): butch, masculine
• (grammar): masculine

Derived terms

• femininely
• feminineness
• feminine rhyme (prosody)
• femininity
• feminize

Adverb

feminine (comparative more feminine, superlative most feminine)

1. Of or pertaining to woman.
2. Having the qualities of a woman.

Noun

feminine (plural feminines)

1. The female principle
2. (obsolete or colloquial) A woman.

   They guide the feminines toward the palace — Richard Hakluyt

3. (grammar) Any one of those words which are the appellations of females, or which have the terminations usually found in such words; as, actress, songstress, abbess, executrix.

   There are but few true feminines in English — Latham

Translations

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German

Adjective

feminine

1. strong feminine singular nominative form of feminin.
2. strong feminine singular accusative form of feminin.
3. strong plural nominative form of feminin.
4. strong plural accusative form of feminin.
5. weak masculine singular nominative form of feminin.
6. weak feminine singular nominative form of feminin.
7. weak feminine singular accusative form of feminin.
8. weak neuter singular nominative form of feminin.
9. weak neuter singular accusative form of feminin.
10. mixed feminine singular nominative form of feminin.
11. mixed feminine singular accusative form of feminin.

Latin

Etymology 1

From fēminīnus (“feminine”) +‎ -ē.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA: /feː.miˈniː.neː/

Adverb

fēminīnē (comparative fēminīnius, superlative fēminīnissimē)

1. femininely, womanly

Related terms

Etymology 2

Inflected form of fēminīnus (“feminine”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA: /feː.miˈniː.ne/

Adjective

fēminīne

1. vocative masculine singular of fēminīnus

Romanian

Adjective

feminine

1. feminine plural nominative form of feminin
2. feminine plural accusative form of feminin
3. neuter plural nominative form of feminin
4. neuter plural accusative form of feminin

Swedish

Adjective

feminine

1. absolute definite natural masculine form of feminin.

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