Etymology Map
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Female

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means of the sex that bears young

Where does the word "female" come from? It comes from Latin femella, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
femella
Latin · ancient
"young woman"
a diminutive of 'femina', woman
2
Stage 2 of 3
femelle
Old French · medieval
"female"
a diminutive used of women and female animals
3
Stage 3 of 3
female
English · 1300s
"woman"
spelled 'femelle' until reshaped to match 'male', creating a false link between two unrelated words
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Read the full story

Female’s story begins in Latin: femella meant “young woman.” A diminutive of 'femina', woman. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as femelle. A diminutive used of women and female animals. It reached English by 1300s as female. Spelled 'femelle' until reshaped to match 'male', creating a false link between two unrelated words. Today, female means of the sex that bears young.