female
2 ENTRIES FOUND:
Britannica Dictionary definition of FEMALE
1
a
:
of or relating to the sex that can produce young or lay eggs
-
a female bird/mammal/insect
-
female [=women] athletes
-
a study of female [=women's] sexuality
b
[more female; most female]
:
characteristic of girls or women
-
a female [=feminine] voice/name
c
:
having members who are all girls or women
2
of a plant
:
having only seed-producing flowers
3
technical
:
having a hole that another part (called a male part) fits into
-
Most extension cords have a male plug on one end and a female plug on the other.
— femaleness
noun [noncount]
2
female
/ˈfiːˌmeɪl/
noun
plural
females
2
female
/ˈfiːˌmeɪl/
noun
plural
females
Britannica Dictionary definition of FEMALE
[count]
1
:
a woman or a girl
:
a female person
-
She attended a school where there were more males than females.
Usage
The use of female to mean “woman” or “girl” now occurs most commonly in scientific or technical language.
In other contexts, it is often seen as a humorous or mildly insulting word.
-
According to the study, males scored about the same as females.
-
The suspect was described as a white female aged about 30.
-
The shopping mall was mobbed by herds of adolescent females.
-
He referred to his angry coworkers as “a bunch of spiteful females.”
2
:
an animal that can produce young or lay eggs
:
a female animal
-
Females of this species weigh 8 to 10 pounds.
3
:
a plant that can produce seed or fruit
:
a female plant
