In the 14th century, female appeared in English with such spellings as femel, femelle, and female. The word comes from the Latin femella, meaning “young woman, girl,” which in turn is based on femina, …

As an adjective, female is still used in some contexts, particularly when the sex of the person is relevant, such as female athletes or to distinguish a male nurse from a female one.

FEMALE definition: 1. belonging or relating to women or girls: 2. belonging or relating to the sex that can give…. Learn more.

Someone who is female is a woman or a girl. ...a sixteen-piece dance band with a female singer.

Female animals are those that produce ova, which are fertilized by the spermatozoa of males. The main difference between females and males is that females bear the offspring — and that goes for dogs, …

fe′male•ness, n. syn: female, feminine, effeminate describe women and girls or whatever is culturally attributed to them. female classifies individuals on the basis of their genetic makeup or their ability to …

Female, feminine, effeminate are adjectives that describe women and girls or attributes and conduct culturally ascribed to them.

Definition of female noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

FEMALE definition: having or relating to a gender identity that corresponds to a complex, variable set of social and cultural roles, traits, and behaviors assigned to people of the sex that typically produces …

Mar 8, 2026 · Bacteria are determined to be male or female by a small piece of DNA, called F-plasmid, or sex factor. Bacteria with this small piece of DNA are labeled as males, and bacteria that do not …