of or denoting the sex that can bear offspring
Old French 'femelle', from Latin 'femella'
Biological and social category with complex modern usage considerations
Derived from Latin 'femella' (diminutive of 'femina'), the term historically marked women as subordinate and smaller. Medical and biological contexts long used 'female' to pathologize women's bodies.
Use 'woman' or 'women' in social/professional contexts; reserve 'female' for biological specificity when scientifically necessary. Avoid 'female' as an adjective for people (not 'female doctor' but 'woman doctor' or just 'doctor').
["woman","women","girl"]
Early feminists reclaimed 'female' as neutral; modern usage prefers 'woman' to center dignity and agency over biology.
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