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female definition

fe·male (fē′māl′)

adjective

  1. designating or of the sex that produces ova and bears offspring: biological symbol, ♀
  2. of, characteristic of, or suitable to members of this sex; feminine
  3. consisting of women or girls
  4. designating or having a hollow part shaped to receive a corresponding inserted part (called male): said of pipe fittings, electric sockets, etc.
  5. Bot.
    1. having pistils, archegonia, or oogonia and no stamens or antheridia
    2. designating or of a reproductive structure or part containing large gametes (eggs) that can be fertilized by smaller, motile gametes (sperms)
    3. designating or of any structure or part that produces fruit after it is fertilized

Etymology: ME, altered after male < femelle < OFr < L femella, dim. of femina, a woman < IE base *dhē-, to suck, suckle > L felare, to suck, filius, son, fetus, progeny, Gr thēlazein, to suckle, thele, nipple

noun

  1. a female person; woman or girl
  2. a female animal or plant

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

medical female definition - medical

female Synonyms

female

modif.

  1. Feminine

    womanly, womanlike, ladylike; see feminine 2.

  2. Belonging to the female sex

    oviparous, reproductive, fertile, childbearing, pistillate, pistil-bearing, of the female gender, distaff, ""more deadly than the male, '' she*.

    Antonyms masculine, male*, staminate.


female

n.

woman, lady, girl; see woman See syn. study at woman.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

female Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • lactate: Can be used safely on all animals, even pregnant or lactating females.

Adjective modifier

  • dominant: Beth is now a dominant female in this group.

Modifies a noun

  • vocalist: Self contained with quality p.a. & lighting system. fronted by male & female vocalists - backed by funky horns & groovy rhythm section.

Noun used with modifier

  • alpha: According to the reports no litters had been produced after the alpha female had been spayed when she experienced difficulties giving birth.

Preposition: with

  • calf: She sold 96 alpacas from females with calves, yearling females to geld males.

Preposition: than

  • male: Statistically speaking, it does tend to affect more females than males.
female usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

female quotes

The fact that the adult American Negro female emerges a formidable character is often met with amazement, distaste and even belligerence. It is seldom accepted as an inevitable outcome of the struggle won by survivors, and deserves respect if not enthusiastic acceptance.

-Angelou, Maya originally MayaJohnson

And God said, Let us create man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepethuponthe earth. So God createdmaninhis own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them,Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

-Bible (Old Testament)

They went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.

-Bible (Old Testament)

female quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"female." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/female>

APA Style

female. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/female

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