Female - Feminine / Male - Masculine
Female / Male
Use female or male when referring to the sex of people, plants and animals.
Examples:
The female bear can be ferocious when defending its cubs.
Are you female or male?
Feminine / Masculine
Use feminine or masculine when referring to a characteristic that you feel is representative of the male or female of the species.
Examples:
Some people feel that he is rather feminine.
The decorating was very masculine in that house.
Femininity / Masculinity
These are the noun forms and refer to the state of being either feminine or masculine.
Examples:
Feminiity was viewed as a curse when displayed by males before the twentieth century.
Some wonder if his masculinity is too stressed.
Do you understand the rules? Test your knowledge with this Female - Male / Feminine - Masculine quiz.
