womanish

[ woom-uh-nish ]

adjective

1. womanlike or feminine.
2. weakly feminine; effeminate.

womanish

/ ˈwʊmənɪʃ /

adjective

1. having qualities or characteristics regarded as unsuitable to a strong character of either sex, esp a man
2. characteristic of or suitable for a woman

Derived Forms

• ˈwomanishly, adverb
• ˈwomanishness, noun

Other Words From

• woman·ish·ly adverb
• woman·ish·ness noun
• un·woman·ish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of womanish¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; woman, -ish ¹

Synonym Study

See womanly.

Example Sentences

This proposed title and its variations were to her mind, "cheesy, little womanish, cute, amateurish."

From Salon

Two grisly drawings here depict a later episode of the Horatii story: a brother murders a sister to punish her womanish grief.

From New York Times

With a womanish gesture he lifted a lock of silver hair from his forehead and smoothed it back on his head.

From Literature

“A small man—dark—with a womanish voice,” said Poirot thoughtfully.

From Literature

He was a northerner, with black curls that verged on womanish, an effect he tempered with his carefully tended beard.

From Literature