gentle sex

or gentler sex

See synonyms for gentle sex on Thesaurus.com
nounOlder Use: Sometimes Offensive.
  1. women in general (usually used facetiously): courtesy toward the gentle sex.

Origin of gentle sex

1
First recorded in 1575–85

usage note For gentle sex

This is a dated term, usually used for humorous effect but sometimes perceived as condescending to women. It makes reference to a stereotype of women’s basic nature, namely that women are gentle in comparison to men.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

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