French Conversation · Level 88
60 words
French word
femelle
Pronunciation
IPA/fəmɛl/
Meaning
- feminine nounfemale
Example
Regarde cette souris : c'est une femelle.
Look at this mouse: it's a female.
More examples
On a trouvé une femelle dans le nid.
A female was found in the nest.
Core concept
A living organism's female counterpart, considered as a concrete individual that can be compared with a male.
Common phrases
une femelle
a female
une femelle adulte
an adult female
mâle et femelle
male and female
Similar words
femme: An adult human female.
Definition in French
Individu de sexe féminin, surtout employé pour les animaux et les organismes, par opposition à mâle.
Word origin
The word femelle derives from Latin femella, a diminutive of femina, and its main modern French use concerns nonhuman animals and organisms.
Usage tips
- For people, femelle often sounds scientific or objectifying, while femme is the ordinary noun for an adult human woman.
Opposites
- mâlemalenoun