female
- 01 A2 Elementary
n.a person or animal of the sex that can produce eggs or give birth.
n.an individual of the sex that is distinguished by the production of ova or the bearing of young.
Simple“The female of this bird species has brown feathers to hide in the grass.”
In context“Researchers observed that the female remained with the hatchlings while the male foraged for food in the nearby wetlands.”
UsageOften used as a noun in biological or medical contexts, but can be seen as dehumanising when applied to people in casual speech.
PitfallI saw a female walking down the street. I saw a woman walking down the street.Using 'female' as a noun for a person can sound clinical or disrespectful; use 'woman' or 'girl' instead unless you are writing a scientific or police report.
- 02 A2 Elementary
adj.belonging to the sex that produces eggs or gives birth.
adj.pertaining to the sex that produces gametes in the form of eggs.
Simple“The hospital has a separate ward for female patients.”
In context“The study focused on the long-term health outcomes of female athletes participating in high-impact sports.”
Teacher's tipDistinguish from 'feminine', which refers to cultural qualities or appearance rather than biological sex.
- 03 C1 Advanced
adj.describing a plant or flower that produces seeds or fruit.
adj.denoting a plant or flower that possesses ovules but lacks functional stamens.
Simple“Only the female holly trees produce the bright red berries in winter.”
In context“In dioecious species, the female plants must be situated near a pollen source to ensure successful fruit production.”
SynonymspistillateAntonymsmalestaminate - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.describing a part of a tool or wire that has a hole for another part to fit into.
adj.having a hollow or recessed part into which a corresponding male part is inserted.
Simple“You need a female connector to plug this cable into the wall.”
In context“The technician replaced the damaged female port on the back of the amplifier to restore the audio signal.”
SynonymsAntonyms
Usage female president · female differ
Etymology tree Proto-Italic *fēmanā Latin fēmina Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -lus Latin fēmella Old French femelebor. Middle English femele Middle English female English female From Middle English female, an alteration of Middle English femele, from Old French femele, femelle (“female”), from Medieval Latin fēmella (“a female”), from Latin fēmella (“a girl, a young female, a young woman”), diminutive of fēmina (“a woman”). The English spelling and pronunciation were remodelled under the influence of male, which is otherwise not etymologically related. Contrast woman, which is etymologically built on man (as in, “person”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.