— femininely , adv. — feminineness , n.
/fem"euh nin/ , adj.
1. pertaining to a woman or girl: feminine beauty; feminine dress.
2. having qualities traditionally ascribed to women, as sensitivity or gentleness.
3. effeminate; womanish: a man with a feminine walk.
4. belonging to the female sex; female: feminine staff members.
5. Gram. noting or pertaining to that one of the three genders of Latin, Greek, German, etc., or one of the two genders of French, Spanish, Hebrew, etc., having among its members most nouns referring to females, as well as other nouns, as Latin stella "star," or German Zeit "time."
n. Gram.
6. the feminine gender.
7. a noun or other element in or marking that gender.
[ 1350-1400; ME feminin femininus, equiv. to femin ( a ) woman (see FETUS) + -inus -INE 1 ]
Syn. 2. See female .