Etymology

Latin femininus , from femina woman; probably akin to Latin fetus, or to Greek to suck, to suckle, Sanskrit dhā to suck; compare Anglo Saxon fǣmme woman, maid: compare French féminin . See fetus

Adjective

1. Of or pertaining to a woman, or to women; characteristic of a woman; womanish; womanly.

   Quotations

   • Her letters are remarkably deficient in feminine ease and grace - Macaulay

2. Having the qualities of a woman; becoming or appropriate to the female sex; as, in a good sense, modest, graceful, affectionate, confiding; or, in a bad sense, weak, nerveless, timid, pleasure-loving, effeminate.

   Quotations

   • Her heavenly form Angelic, but more soft and feminine - Milton
   • Ninus being esteemed no man of war at all, but altogether feminine, and subject to ease and delicacy - Sir W. Raleigh.

Derived expression

• Feminine rhyme. (Prosody): See Female rhyme, under Female

Adverb

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

Noun

1. (Obsolete or Colloquial): A woman

   Quotations

   • They guide the feminines toward the palace - Hakluyt

2. (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.

   Quotations

   • There are but few true feminines in English - Latham

Translations

• Chinese: 阴性 (2)
• Catalan: femení m, femenina f
• Danish: kvinde c (1); hunkøn n (2);
• Dutch: vrouwelijk
• Frisian: froulik
• Greek: θηλυκό
• Japanese: 女性 (じょせい , josei)
• Portuguese: feminino m, feminina f
• Spanish: femenino m, femenina f