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- Femelle - meaning & definition
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Translate Files Femelle (en. Female)
/fɛ.mɛl/
Meaning & Definition
EnglishFrench
noun
An individual of the female sex, particularly among animals.
The female lion is called a lioness.
La femelle du lion est appelée lionne.
Refers to a member of an animal or plant species that is female.
This female parrot is very colorful.
Cette femelle de perroquet est très colorée.
Refers to a female person.
A female is often perceived as a potential mother.
Une femelle est souvent perçue comme une mère potentielle.
Etymology
Comes from the Latin 'feminella', a diminutive of 'femina', meaning 'woman'.
Common Phrases and Expressions
female of a man
Refers to a woman as a partner or mate.
femelle d'un homme
female animal
Designates the female sex among animals in general.
animal femelle
breeding female
A female used for breeding in agriculture.
femelle reproductrice
Related Words
male
Refers to an animal of the male sex.
mâle
feminine
Qualifies what is specific to women or evokes femininity.
feminine
mother
A woman who has given birth to a child.
mère
Slang Meanings
Informal term to refer to a woman.
In some circles, it is not uncommon to hear 'this female is great'.
Dans certaines circles, il n'est pas rare d'entendre 'cette femelle est géniale'.
Sometimes used pejoratively to refer to a woman.
He used the word 'female' in a degrading way, which offended many people.
Il a utilisé le mot 'femelle' d'une façon dégradante, ce qui a offusqué beaucoup de gens.