Standard Lemma guide

femaleness

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈfiːmeɪlnɪs/

1

noun

Meaning 1

The characteristic, state or condition of being female.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the properties characteristic of the female sex

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: feminineness

Antonyms: maleness

Broader terms: sex, gender, sexuality

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Latin fēmella Old French femelebor. Middle English femele Middle English female English female Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English femaleness From female + -ness.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: أُنُوثَة (ʔunūṯa) — characteristic, state or condition of being female
  • German: Weiblichkeit — characteristic, state or condition of being female