1
a(1)
: of, relating to, or being the sex that typically has the capacity to bear young or produce eggs
In a field of milkweed, I watched a female monarch butterfly deposit a single egg on the underside of a leaf.—Tom Tyning
A few months later, she became the highest paid female performer on the Great White Way.—Susannah McCorkle
(2)
botany
: having or producing only pistils or pistillate flowers
a female holly
female inflorescences
b
: having a gender identity that is the opposite of male
c
: made up of usually adult members of the female sex : consisting of females
the female workforce
d
: characteristic of girls, women, or the female sex : exhibiting femaleness
composed for female voices
a female name
e
: designed for or typically used by girls or women
a female condom
f
: engaged in or exercised by girls or women
female suffrage
female political power
g
: having a quality (such as small size or delicacy of sound) sometimes associated with the female sex
It is the female castanet that is worn on the right hand and gives a delicate sound, while the male on the left hand with its deeper tone plays the role of accompaniment.—Frederick C. Schang
2
of a rhyme
: having an unstressed final syllable : feminine sense 4b
a female rhyme
3
: designed with a hollow or groove into which a corresponding male part fits
the female coupling of a hose
femaleness
noun
1
a
: a female person : a woman or a girl
b
: an individual of the sex that is typically capable of bearing young or producing eggs
2
: a pistillate plant
Did you know?
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, meaning “woman.” In English, the similarity in form and sound between the words female and male led people to use only the female spelling. This closeness also led to the belief that female comes from or is somehow related to male. However, apart from the influence of male on the modern spelling of female, there is no link between the origins of the two words.
Cite this Entry
“Female.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/female. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.
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