Definition of Femle
Fe"male (?), n. [OE. femel,
femal, F. femelle, fr. L. femella, dim. of
femina woman. See Feminine.] 1. An
individual of the sex which conceives and brings forth young, or (in
a wider sense) which has an ovary and produces ova.
The male and female of each living
thing. Drayton.
2. (Bot.) A plant which produces only
that kind of reproductive organs which are capable of developing into
fruit after impregnation or fertilization; a pistillate
plant.
Fe"male, a. 1.
Belonging to the sex which conceives and gives birth to young,
or (in a wider sense) which produces ova; not male.
As patient as the female dove
When that her golden couplets are disclosed.
Shak.
2. Belonging to an individual of the female
sex; characteristic of woman; feminine; as, female
tenderness. "Female usurpation.'b8 Milton.
To the generous decision of a female mind, we
owe the discovery of America. Belknap.
3. (Bot.) Having pistils and no
stamens; pistillate; or, in cryptogamous plants, capable of receiving
fertilization.
Female rhymes (Pros.), double rhymes, or
rhymes (called in French feminine rhymes because they end in
e weak, or feminine) in which two syllables, an
accented and an unaccented one, correspond at the end of each
line.
&fist; A rhyme, in which the final syllables only agree
(strain, complain) is called a male rhyme; one in which
the two final syllables of each verse agree, the last being short
(motion, ocean), is called female. Brande &
C.
-- Female screw, the spiral-threaded cavity into
which another, or male, screw turns. Nicholson. --
Female fern (Bot.), a common species of fern
with large decompound fronds (Asplenium Filixfæmina),
growing in many countries; lady fern.
&fist; The names male fern and female fern were
anciently given to two common ferns; but it is now understood that
neither has any sexual character.
Syn. -- Female, Feminine. We apply
female to the sex or individual, as opposed to male;
also, to the distinctive belongings of women; as, female
dress, female form, female character, etc.;
feminine, to things appropriate to, or affected by, women; as,
feminine studies, employments, accomplishments, etc.
"Female applies to sex rather than gender, and is a
physiological rather than a grammatical term. Feminine applies
to gender rather than sex, and is grammatical rather than
physiological." Latham.
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
FEMALE, n. One of the opposing, or unfair, sex.
The Maker, at Creation's birth,
With living things had stocked the earth.
From elephants to bats and snails,
They all were good, for all were males.
But when the Devil came and saw
He said: "By Thine eternal law
Of growth, maturity, decay,
These all must quickly pass away
And leave untenanted the earth
Unless Thou dost establish birth" --
Then tucked his head beneath his wing
To laugh -- he had no sleeve -- the thing
With deviltry did so accord,
That he'd suggested to the Lord.
The Master pondered this advice,
Then shook and threw the fateful dice
Wherewith all matters here below
Are ordered, and observed the throw;
Then bent His head in awful state,
Confirming the decree of Fate.
From every part of earth anew
The conscious dust consenting flew,
While rivers from their courses rolled
To make it plastic for the mould.
Enough collected (but no more,
For niggard Nature hoards her store)
He kneaded it to flexible clay,
While Nick unseen threw some away.
And then the various forms He cast,
Gross organs first and finer last;
No one at once evolved, but all
By even touches grew and small
Degrees advanced, till, shade by shade,
To match all living things He'd made
Females, complete in all their parts
Except (His clay gave out) the hearts.
"No matter," Satan cried; "with speed
I'll fetch the very hearts they need" --
So flew away and soon brought back
The number needed, in a sack.
That night earth range with sounds of strife --
Ten million males each had a wife;
That night sweet Peace her pinions spread
O'er Hell -- ten million devils dead!
G.J.
- 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue
- Belonging to the feminine gender
- Referring to the feminine gender
- (Figurative, electronics, etc.) having an internal plug or outlet
- someone or something of feminine sex or gender
- The Nuttall Encyclopedia
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The correct Spelling of this word is: Female
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