feminine

UK: /ˈfɛmɪnɪn/ US: /ˈfɛmənɪn/ ,(fem′ə nin)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

fem•i•nine /ˈfɛmənɪn/   adj. 

1. relating to or characteristic of women or girls:
   feminine clothes.
2. belonging to the female sex;
   female:
   a mostly feminine viewership.
3. Grammar of, relating to, or being the grammatical gender that has among its members most nouns referring to females, as well as other nouns, as Latin stella "star'' or German Zeit "time.''

fem•i•nin•i•ty, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

fem•i•nine  (fem′ə nin), adj. 

1. pertaining to a woman or girl:
   feminine beauty; feminine dress.
2. having qualities traditionally ascribed to women, as sensitivity or gentleness.
3. effeminate;
   womanish:
   a man with a feminine walk.
4. belonging to the female sex;
   female:
   feminine staff members.
5. Grammar noting or pertaining to that one of the three genders of Latin, Greek, German, etc., or one of the two genders of French, Spanish, Hebrew, etc., having among its members most nouns referring to females, as well as other nouns, as Latin stella "star,'' or German Zeit "time.''

n. [Gram.]

6. Grammar the feminine gender.
7. Grammar a noun or other element in or marking that gender.

• Latin of fēminīnus, equivalent. to fēmin(a) woman (see fetus) + -īnus -ine¹
• Anglo-French, Old French: feminine of feminin
• Middle English 1350–1400

fem′i•nine•ly, adv. 
fem′i•nine•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 2. See female. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

feminine / ˈfɛmɪnɪn/ adjective

1. suitable to or characteristic of a woman
2. possessing qualities or characteristics considered typical of or appropriate to a woman
3. effeminate; womanish
4. denoting or belonging to a gender of nouns, occurring in many inflected languages, that includes all kinds of referents as well as some female animate referents
5. (as noun): German Zeit 'time' and Ehe 'marriage' are feminines

Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin fēminīnus, from fēmina woman

ˈfemininely adverb

ˈfeminineness noun