Feminisms

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A diverse range of movements and ideologies that advocate for the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes
2. Various approaches to addressing issues related to gender inequality, challenging patriarchal structures and norms
3. A set of beliefs promoting the rights and empowerment of women, encompassing different cultural, social, and political perspectives

Etymology: The plural "feminisms" refers to the many distinct movements grouped under the single label "feminism," which first appeared in English in 1851 with a meaning now almost forgotten: "the state of being feminine." That sense came from French, where "féminisme" was in use by about 1837, and the political sense of "advocacy of women's rights" only arrived in English in 1895. The French word was built from Latin "fēmina" ("woman") through "fēminīnus" ("feminine"), with the suffix "-isme" added. In its earliest French use, it was probably derived straight from "fēmina," as if from a Neo-Latin "feminismus," so the word was partly a coinage rather than a simple inheritance from classical Latin. Because the word has always been a label for a cause, and causes have many factions, the plural form is a natural fit. Its own history is a reminder that the single noun was carrying several ideas long before any writer thought to pluralise it.

Synonyms: women's rights, gender equality, feminist movements

Antonyms: misogyny, patriarchy