| Feminine | a. [ L. femininus, fr. femina woman; prob. akin to L. fetus, or to Gr. qh^sqai to suck, qh^sai to suckle, Skr. dhā to suck; cf. AS. f&aemacr_;mme woman, maid: cf. F. féminin. See Fetus. ] 1. Of or pertaining to a woman, or to women; characteristic of a woman; womanish; womanly. [ 1913 Webster ] Her letters are remarkably deficient in feminine ease and grace. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. Having the qualities of a woman; becoming or appropriate to the female sex; as, in a good sense, modest, graceful, affectionate, confiding; or, in a bad sense, weak, nerveless, timid, pleasure-loving, effeminate. [ 1913 Webster ] Her heavenly form
Angelic, but more soft and feminine. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ] Ninus being esteemed no man of war at all, but altogether feminine, and subject to ease and delicacy. Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]
Feminine rhyme. (Pros.) See Female rhyme, under Female, a.
Syn. -- See Female, a. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Feminine | n. 1. A woman. [ Obs. or Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ] They guide the feminines toward the palace. Hakluyt. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. (Gram.) Any one of those words which are the appellations of females, or which have the terminations usually found in such words; as, actress, songstress, abbess, executrix. [ 1913 Webster ] There are but few true feminines in English. Latham. [ 1913 Webster ] |
