Reading Theme:
Female: Definition, Usage & Common Mistakes (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：relating to the female sex (female)
female
/ˈfiːmeɪl/
adj.
Relating to women or girls.
relating to the female sex
➕
/rɪˈleɪtɪŋ tə ðə ˈfiːmeɪl sɛks/
adj.
Describes the sex that can bear offspring or produce eggs in humans; pertaining to women and girls.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Old French 'femele', from Latin 'femella', a diminutive of 'femina' (woman).
💡 Mnemonic
Think: 'Fe' (iron symbol Fe) + 'male'. Iron is strong, but a female is not simply a 'fe-male'.
📖 Example
The company aims to have more female leaders in its management team.
The organization's goal is to increase the number of women in leadership positions within its management.
🔗 Collocations
female student – a student who is a girl or woman
female voice – the characteristic voice of a woman or girl
female empowerment – the process of increasing the social, economic, and political strength of women
🔄 Synonyms
🚫 Antonyms
male (adj.) – relating to men or boys; the sex that fertilizes the female
🌱 Derivatives
feminine (adj.) – having qualities or an appearance traditionally associated with women
femininity (n.) – qualities or attributes regarded as characteristic of women
📖 Cultural Story
The word 'female' originates from Latin 'femella', the diminutive form of 'femina' (woman). It entered English via Old French 'femele' in the 14th century. Interestingly, the modern spelling was influenced by an erroneous association with the unrelated word 'male'.
Meaning 2：characteristic of the sex that bears offspring (female)
female
/ˈfiːmeɪl/
adj.
Referring to the sex of an animal that can give birth or lay eggs.
characteristic of the sex that bears offspring
➕
/ˌkærəktəˈrɪstɪk ʌv ðə sɛks ðæt bɛrz ˈɒfˌsprɪŋ/
adj.
Pertaining to the sex of an animal, plant, or other organism that produces ova or bears young.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
We observed a female lion carefully protecting her cubs in the wild.
During our safari, we watched a lioness attentively guarding her young offspring in their natural habitat.
🔗 Collocations
female animal – an animal of the sex that can produce young or lay eggs
female reproductive system – the organs and structures in a female involved in producing offspring
female bird – a bird of the sex that lays eggs
🔄 Synonyms
🚫 Antonyms
male (adj.) – referring to the sex of an animal that fertilizes the female
🌱 Derivatives
feminize (v.) – to make something more feminine or characteristic of females
femaleness (n.) – the quality or condition of being female
Wordbook
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