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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Feminine \Fem"i*nine\, n.
1. A woman. [Obs. or Colloq.]
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They guide the feminines toward the palace.
--Hakluyt.
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2. (Gram.) Any one of those words which are the appellations
of females, or which have the terminations usually found
in such words; as, actress, songstress, abbess, executrix.
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There are but few true feminines in English.
--Latham.
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Feminine \Fem"i*nine\, a. [L. femininus, fr. femina woman; prob.
akin to L. fetus, or to Gr. qh^sqai to suck, qh^sai to
suckle, Skr. dh[=a] to suck; cf. AS. f[=ae]mme woman, maid:
cf. F. f['e]minin. See {Fetus}.]
1. Of or pertaining to a woman, or to women; characteristic
of a woman; womanish; womanly.
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Her letters are remarkably deficient in feminine
ease and grace. --Macaulay.
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2. Having the qualities of a woman; becoming or appropriate
to the female sex; as, in a good sense, modest, graceful,
affectionate, confiding; or, in a bad sense, weak,
nerveless, timid, pleasure-loving, effeminate.
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Her heavenly form
Angelic, but more soft and feminine. --Milton.
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Ninus being esteemed no man of war at all, but
altogether feminine, and subject to ease and
delicacy. --Sir W.
Raleigh.
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{Feminine rhyme}. (Pros.) See {Female rhyme}, under {Female},
a.

Syn: See {Female}, a.
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