a person bearing two X chromosomes in the cell nuclei and normally having a vagina, a uterus and ovaries, and developing at puberty a relatively rounded body and enlarged breasts, and retaining a beardless face; a girl or woman.
2.
an organism of the sex or sexual phase that normally produces egg cells.
3.
Botany. a pistillate plant.
–adjective
4.
of, pertaining to, or being a female animal or plant.
5.
of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a female person; feminine: female suffrage; female charm.
6.
composed of females: a female readership.
7.
Botany.
a.
designating or pertaining to a plant or its reproductive structure that produces or contains elements requiring fertilization.
b.
(of seed plants) pistillate.
8.
Machinery. being or having a recessed part into which a corresponding part fits: a female plug. Compare male(def. 5).
[Origin: 1275–1325; ME, var. (by assoc. with male) of femelle < AF, OF femel(l)e < L fémella, dim. of fémina woman (see -elle); in VL developing the sense “female of an animal”]
—Related forms
fe·male·ness, noun
—Synonyms 1.See woman.4–7.Female,feminine,effeminate are adjectives that describe women and girls or attributes and conduct culturally ascribed to them. Female, which is applied to plants and animals as well as to human beings, is a biological or physiological descriptor, classifying individuals on the basis of their potential or actual ability to produce offspring in bisexual reproduction. It contrasts with male in all uses: her oldest female relative; the female parts of the flower. Feminine refers essentially to qualities or behaviors deemed by a culture or society to be especially appropriate to or ideally associated with women and girls. In American and Western European culture, these have traditionally included features such as delicacy, gentleness, gracefulness, and patience: to dance with feminine grace; a feminine sensitivity to moods. Feminine is also, less frequently, used to refer to physical features: a lovely feminine figure; small, feminine hands. Effeminate is most often applied derogatorily to men or boys, suggesting that they have character or behavior traits culturally believed to be appropriate to women and girls rather than to men: an effeminate horror of rough play; an effeminate speaking style. See also womanly.
Of or denoting the sex that produces ova or bears young.
Characteristic of or appropriate to this sex; feminine.
Consisting of members of this sex. See Usage Note at lady.
Designating an organ, such as a pistil or ovary, that functions in producing seeds after fertilization.
Bearing pistils but not stamens; pistillate: female flowers.
Botany
Designating an organ, such as a pistil or ovary, that functions in producing seeds after fertilization.
Bearing pistils but not stamens; pistillate: female flowers.
Having a recessed part, such as a slot or receptacle, designed to receive a complementary male part: the female section of an electrical outlet.
n.
A member of the sex that produces ova or bears young.
A woman or girl.
Botany A plant having only pistillate flowers.
[Middle English, alteration (influenced by male, male) of femelle, from Old French, from Latin fēmella, diminutive of fēmina, woman; see dhē(i)- in Indo-European roots.]
fe'male'ness n.
Synonyms: These adjectives mean of or characteristic of women. Female categorizes any living thing by gender or sex: the female population; a female kitten; a female plant. Feminine refers to what is considered characteristic of women: feminine intuition. Womanlike applies to qualities of a woman: womanlike resolve. Womanly describes qualities regarded as becoming to a woman: womanly sympathy. Womanish suggests qualities associated with or suggestive of women: womanish attitudes. Effeminate applies to men who exhibit attributes traditionally associated with women: an effeminate actor. Ladylike applies to what is regarded as befitting refined or well-mannered women: ladylike manners.
c.1315, from O.Fr. femelle, from M.L. femella "a female," from L. femella "young female, girl," dim. of femina "woman" (see feminine). Sense extended in V.L. from humans to female of other animals. Spelling alt. late 14c. on mistaken parallel of male. Reference to sockets, etc., is from 1669.
being the sex (of plant or animal) that produces fertilizable gametes (ova) from which offspring develop; "a female heir"; "female holly trees bear the berries" [ant: androgynous, male]
2.
characteristic of or peculiar to a woman; "female sensitiveness"; "female suffrage"
3.
for or pertaining to or composed of women or girls; "the female lead in the play"; "a female chorus"
noun
1.
an animal that produces gametes (ova) that can be fertilized by male gametes (spermatozoa) [ant: male]
2.
a person who belongs to the sex that can have babies [ant: male]
In organisms that reproduce sexually, being the gamete that is larger and less motile than the other corresponding gamete (the male gamete) of the same species. The egg cells of higher animals and plants are female gametes.
Possessing or being a structure that produces only female gametes. The ovaries of humans are female reproductive organs. Female flowers possess only carpels and no stamens.
Having the genitalia or other structures typical of a female organism. Worker ants are female but sterile.
Fe"male\, n. [OE. femel, femal, F. femelle, fr. L. femella, dim. of femina woman. See Feminine.]1. An individual of the sex which conceives and brings forth young, or (in a wider sense) which has an ovary and produces ova. The male and female of each living thing. --Drayton. 2. (Bot.) A plant which produces only that kind of reproductive organs which are capable of developing into fruit after impregnation or fertilization; a pistillate plant.
Fe"male\, a. 1. Belonging to the sex which conceives and gives birth to young, or (in a wider sense) which produces ova; not male. As patient as the female dove When that her golden couplets are disclosed. --Shak. 2. Belonging to an individual of the female sex; characteristic of woman; feminine; as, female tenderness. "Female usurpation.'b8 --Milton. To the generous decision of a female mind, we owe the discovery of America. --Belknap. 3. (Bot.) Having pistils and no stamens; pistillate; or, in cryptogamous plants, capable of receiving fertilization.
![[P]](http://cache.lexico.com/g/d/premium_mh.gif){kind=small}
Audio Help [fee-meyl] Pronunciation Key 
