feminine
gb/fˈɛmɪnən/ us/fˈɛmɪnən/
B1
English
~ 4900
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
Having traditionally female qualities
Looking or acting in a way that is usually thought of as female.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is [feminine]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'feminine' with 'female'. 'Female' is more about biological sex, while 'feminine' describes qualities or appearance.
Synonyms
womanly (Emphasizes maturity and qualities seen in adult women; slightly more formal.)
|
ladylike (Focuses on polite and refined behavior, often in a traditional sense.)
Antonyms
masculine (Describes qualities typically associated with men or boys.)
Collocations
feminine charm
|feminine style
|feminine voice
|feminine beauty
|feminine touch
Themes
appearance
|gender
|personality
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her dress had a soft, feminine design.
- He has a gentle, almost feminine voice.
- The room was decorated in a very feminine style.
- She wore a perfume with a distinctly feminine scent.
Learner examples
- Her hair looks very feminine.
- This shirt is too feminine for me.
- She speaks in a feminine voice.
adjective
technical
B2
relation
2
Relating to female grammatical gender
In some languages, describing words for things that are treated as female in grammar.
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'feminine' in grammar means the object is biologically female; it only refers to grammatical classification.
Synonyms
female-gendered (Directly refers to grammatical classification as female gender.)
Antonyms
masculine (In grammar, refers to the male gender classification of nouns or pronouns.)
Collocations
feminine noun
|feminine pronoun
|feminine form
Themes
language
|grammar
|education
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- In French, 'maison' is a feminine noun.
- The word changes ending when used with a feminine subject.
- In Spanish, most words ending in '-a' are feminine.
Learner examples
- In French, 'table' is feminine.
- 'Casa' is a feminine word in Spanish.
- Many words ending with 'a' are feminine in Italian.
Grammar
Dictionary form
feminine
IPA
GB/fˈɛmɪnən/
US/fˈɛmɪnən/
Syllables & stress
fem - in - ine (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (fem)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: feminine
Word family
Expressions
feminine touch
1/fˈɛmɪnən tˈʌt͡ʃ/
fixed phrase
Small detail adding female quality
A small change or detail that makes something softer, prettier, or more graceful in a way often linked to women.
Examples
- The flowers on the table added a feminine touch to the office.
- The design had a feminine touch that made it feel warmer.
in the feminine
1/ˈɪn ðə fˈɛmɪnən/
fixed phrase
technical
Using the female grammatical form
When a word or sentence is written or spoken using the female form in grammar.
Examples
- The adjective must agree with the noun in the feminine.
- This word is used in the feminine in this sentence.