female

Definitions

1. adjective

   Of the sex that can lay eggs or give birth.

   Examples

   • She is a female author.
   • The female bird sat on the nest.
2. adjective

   Typical of women or girls.

   Examples

   • They discussed typically female pastimes.
   • The insect has typical female coloring.
3. adjective

   Relating to the body parts and hormones of the female sex.

   Examples

   • Estrogen is the main female sex hormone.
   • She studied the female chromosome.
4. adjective

   In grammar, of the feminine gender.

   Examples

   • In French, nouns are male or female.
   • If you describe a female noun, the adjective changes.
5. adjective

   In biology, a bacterium that can receive DNA from another.

   Examples

   • Researchers studied how female bacteria get new genes.
   • The female strain lacked the donor part.
6. adjective

   Having a hole or socket that something fits into.

   Examples

   • Make sure you have a female connector to match the plug.
   • The pipe needs a female end to join the two parts.
   ≈socket
7. noun

   An animal of the sex that lays eggs or gives birth.

   Examples

   • The female laid her eggs in a hidden nest.
   • Researchers tagged each female to track her.
8. noun

   A woman or girl.

   Examples

   • The clinic serves both males and females.
   • She was the only female on the team.
9. noun

   A plant that produces fruit.

   Examples

   • The female plants bear the fruit.
   • Growers plant several males to pollinate the females.
10. noun

    In biology, a bacterium that can take in DNA from another.

    Examples

    • The female bacterium received the DNA during the exchange.
    • Scientists paired a male and a female bacterium.