female

Meanings

Adjective

• Belonging to the sex which typically produces eggs (ova), or to the gender which is typically associated with it.
• Tending to lead to or regulate the development of sexual characteristics typical of this sex.
• Feminine; of the feminine grammatical gender.
• Having an internal socket, as in a connector or pipe fitting.

Noun

• One of the female (feminine) sex or gender.

Related

Similar words

• womanly, feminine
• socket

Origin

• From Middle English female, an alteration of Middle English femelle, from Old French femele, femelle, from Medieval Latin fēmella ("a female"), from Latin fēmella ("a girl, a young female, a young woman"), diminutive of fēmina. The English spelling and pronunciation were remodelled under the influence of male, which is otherwise not etymologically related. Contrast woman, which is etymologically built on man (as in person).