Womanishness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A state or quality marked by attributes stereotypically linked to women
2. The condition of exhibiting behaviors and traits that are culturally defined as feminine
3. The possession of traits or behavior patterns that society traditionally attributes to females

Etymology: Womanishness is a plain English compound: the adjective "womanish," meaning having the qualities or manner associated with women, plus the suffix "-ness," which turns an adjective into a noun for a quality or state. The result names the collection of traits a culture tends to label feminine. The interesting part is "womanish" itself. It is built from "woman" with the adjective-forming suffix "-ish," the same ending found in "childish" and "foolish." That suffix carries a faint edge of resemblance or sometimes disparagement, which is why "womanish" often sounded slighting in older usage, while "womanly" was the warmer, more approving counterpart. Adding "-ness" then lets speakers talk about the quality as an abstract thing, the way "foolishness" names the state of being foolish. Because both parts are common English elements, the word needs no special coinage story. Its meaning rests on the stereotype it describes, not on any single inventor or event, so the clearest account is the structure itself.

Synonyms: femininity, womanliness

Antonyms: masculinity, manliness