female

I. adjective Date: 14th century 1. a. (1) of, relating to, or being the sex that bears young or produces eggs (2) pistillate b. (1) composed of members of the female sex <

the female population

> (2) characteristic of girls or women <

composed for female voices

> <

a female name

> 2. having some quality (as gentleness) associated with the female sex 3. designed with a hollow or groove into which a corresponding male part fits <

the female coupling of a hose

> • femaleness noun II. noun Etymology: Middle English, alteration of femel, femelle, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French femele, from Medieval Latin femella, from Latin, girl, diminutive of femina Date: 14th century 1. a. a female person ; a woman or a girl b. an individual that bears young or produces large usually immobile gametes (as eggs) that are fertilized by small usually motile gametes of a male 2. a pistillate plant