femme

See also fem

English

Etymology

Used in Middle English, from Old French fame et al. The modern spelling is under the influence of Middle and Modern French femme.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /fɛm/

Noun

femme (plural femmes)

1. (archaic, rare) A woman, a wife, particularly in heraldry.
   • 1885, Then I turned to him and said, "O my lord, I have that to propose to thee wherein thou must not cross me; and this it is that, when we reach Baghdad, my native city, I offer thee my life as thy handmaiden in holy matrimony, and thou shalt be to me baron and I will be femme to thee." — Sir Richard Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, Night 18
2. (slang, LGBT) A feminine lesbian, and especially one who is attracted to masculine (or butch) lesbians.

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Anglo-Norman

Noun

femme f. (oblique plural femmes, nominative singular femme, nominative plural femmes)

1. woman (female adult human being)

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French

Etymology

Latin femina. Various spellings such as feme, fame and fenme were used in Old French.

Pronunciation

• audio

  (file)

• IPA: /fam/
• Rhymes: -am

Noun

femme f. (plural femmes)

1. woman
2. wife

Synonyms

• épouse (cognate to spouse)

Antonyms

• (female): homme
• (wife): mari
• (wife): époux (cognate to spouse)

Related terms

• femelle
• féminin
• femmelette

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Middle French

Etymology

Latin femina. Various spellings such as feme, fame and fenme were used in Old French.

Noun

femme f. (plural femmes)

1. wife
2. woman (female adult human being)

Synonyms

• (woman): dame

Descendants

• French: femme