Middle English Dictionary Entry
feminīn(e adj. & n.
Entry Info
| Forms | feminīn(e adj. & n. Also femenin(e. |
| Etymology | OF feminin(e & L fēminīn-a. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of sex: female; sex ~; as noun: a female being, a woman; (b) fig. ~ fader, Father-Creator.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3796 : Þe childe..ȝif it falle þat it be femynyn, With þe wommen abide stille it shal.
- (1447) in Willis & C.Cambridge 1p.lxiii : So that..may be founded..the seid so called Quenes collage..to laude and honneur of sexe feminine.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1365 : Y saugh..A femynyne creature.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)3872 : The nature shal him enclyne To be come Femynyne..Resemblynge..Vnto an hermofrodyte.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)87/21 : Þe welbeloued masculyne with þe welbeloued feminine schuld go oute in-to þe feld of þis world.
- a1475 Asneth (Hnt EL 26.A.13)221 : He was chast & virgine pure..Dredyng with fere the infeccion of femenyn insolence.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)372/161 : Primus demon. has thou oght Writen there of the femynyn gendere? secundus demon. yei, mo then I may bere of rolles forto render.
- a1500 Dayly in Englond (BodPoet e.1)273 : Nat only in Englond, but of euery nacion, The femynyng wyl presume men for to gyd.
b
- c1460(a1449) Lydg.Te Deum (Hrl 2255)5 : We creaturys knowlech the as creatoure..O ffemynyn fadir, funte and foundoure.
2.
Like a woman (in appearance or behavior): (a) womanlike; (b) used appreciatively: feminine, womanly; befitting a woman; (c) used depreciatively: effeminate, womanish; indulgent.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.2058 : Sirenes, Meremaydnes..Ben of her shap fysches..And vpper-more Kynde doth compasse Hem to apere femynyn of face.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)6.62 : Now was she mannyssh, now was she femynyne.
- ?a1450(1422) Lydg.SD (McC 182)64/25 : And, of hir femynyne drede, full sore siȝed in hir herte.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.3652 : So aungillyk sche was of hir bewte, So femynyn, so goodly on to se.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.6 : Aurora..Abasched rody..of fer þat is femynyne, For a-schamyd durst nat be seyn.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.2962 : He sawe appere a creature..verraily devyne, Of port, of chere wonder femynyne.
- a1450(?1420) Lydg.TG (Tan 346)270 : A creature..So femynyn or passing of beaute.
- a1500 Lydg.LOL (Adv 19.3.1)p.113 : Sche answered most femynyne of chere..hur looke cast adown, With all the port of womonly clennes Hurself demenyng.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.419 : Duchesse Isabell, Full lady like faire and femenine.
c
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.2237-43 : Sardanapalle, Most femynyne off condicioun..To vicious lust his liff he dede enclyne..Off fals vsage he was so femynyne, That among women vppon the rokke he span.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)5.93 : Where is ȝour connynge goo, That ben astoyned with nature femynyne?
- c1450 Metham Physiog.(Gar 141)121/12 : Herys that be sofft and thinne in growyng..sygnyffye femenyne dysposycion..and dysseyuabylnes.
- c1450 Metham Physiog.(Gar 141)139/12 : Qwan thei [the thighs] be fulfyllyd with soft flesch, thei sygnyfye an femenyne wyt.
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)14/34 : Lecherie..makith a man oft femynyne. In whiche is oft tyme found cowardnes.
3.
Gram. Feminine (in gender); a feminine form.
Associated quotations
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)36/109 : Hire name, þat was femynyn Of gendre, heo turned in to masculyn.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)234a/a : Þe tre [malus granata] is femynyne gendre and þe fruyt neutre gendre.
- c1450 Battlefield Gram.(Trin-C O.5.4)104 : How knoweste the masculyn? For he is declynyd by hic, the ffemynyn by hec, the neutre by hoc.
- a1500 Donatus (1) (StJ-C F.26)1020 : Qwerby knowyst þe feminyne gendyr? ffor it is declyned wit hec, as nominatiuo hec Musa.
- a1500 Donatus (1) (StJ-C F.26)1021 : If þe feminyne be drawe out of þe masculyn, as domina is drawyn out of dominus.