Feminine is a noun referring to attributes traditionally associated with women, or to a grammatical gender class in certain languages. It also denotes a gender identity or social role aligned with womanhood. The term contrasts with masculine and sometimes neuter forms, and its pronunciation in English centers on a two-syllable stress pattern: FE-mi-nin (or FEH-mi-nin in some dialects).
"Her presentation emphasized her feminine power and leadership style."
"In many languages, the feminine form of nouns carries distinct endings."
"The debate covered feminine hygiene products and access."
"The adjective 'feminine' is often used to describe soft, melodic tones in music."
Feminine comes from Old French feminine, from Latin femininus, from femina ‘woman’. The root femina appears in Latin as a word for a woman, with the suffix -inus indicating 'belonging to' or 'having the nature of'. The English adoption of feminine occurred in the 14th century via Old French, preserving the sense of ‘pertaining to a woman’ or ‘womanly’. Over time, in English, feminine broadened beyond strictly gendered grammatical usage to denote attributes, aesthetics, or roles associated with women. By the 18th–19th centuries, it also served as a grammatical gender category in languages with gendered nouns, influencing academic and social discourse about gender. The word evolved from a concrete noun referencing woman to an abstract descriptor for qualities, styles, and grammatical forms tied to feminine gender across languages. First known English attestations appear in medieval texts, with the modern, generalized sense solidified by early modern times as discussions of gender and social roles became more nuanced.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Feminine" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Feminine" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Feminine"
-ine sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /ˈfɛmɪnɪn/ (US/UK/AU). Stress on the first syllable: FE-mih-nin. Start with an open front unrounded vowel /ɛ/ as in 'pet', then a short /ɪ/ in the second syllable, and end with /nɪn/. The sequence of sounds flows as FE-mih-nin, with a quick, light second syllable. Tip: keep the mouth relaxed and avoid tensing the jaw at the end.
Common errors: (1) Misplacing stress on the second syllable; (2) Lengthening or diphthongizing the /ɛ/ to /eɪ/ as in 'fade'; (3) Over-voicing the final /nɪn/ or inserting an extra syllable. Corrections: keep primary stress on the first syllable /ˈfɛm-/, use a short /ɛ/ vowel in /ˈfɛm/, and end with a light /nɪn/ without additional vowel elongation. Practice with slow, clipped syllables and then accelerate once accurate.
US/UK/AU share /ˈfɛmɪnɪn/ but with subtle differences: US tends to shorter, flatter vowels; UK may show slightly crisper /ɪ/ and clearer final /nɪn/; AU often features more relaxed, open jaw with slightly more centralized /ɪ/. The rhotics do not affect pronunciation of 'feminine' since it is not rhotic. Maintain the initial /f/ lip rounding consistently across accents.
Difficulty comes from two features: the short, lax /ɛ/ in the first syllable and the unstressed, reduced second syllable /ɪn/ that can blend with adjacent sounds in connected speech. The final /nɪn/ can be tricky if you aren't precise with tongue position or if you tilt toward a light, nasal ending. Focus on keeping a compact mouth posture for /ˈfɛm/ and a quick, light /ɪn/ for the last two phonemes.
Is the ' feminine' in scientific or grammatical terms pronounced with a voiced or voiceless ending? It ends with a voiced /n/ but the following nuances depend on context; in careful speech, the /n/ is clearly released, not velarized. In fast speech, you may hear a slightly nasalized or flapped /n/ depending on speaker. Focus on a crisp, brief /n/ release for clarity.
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