womanly

[ woom-uhn-lee ]

adjective

1. like or befitting a woman; feminine; not masculine or girlish.

adverb

1. in the manner of, or befitting, a woman.

womanly

/ ˈwʊmənlɪ /

adjective

1. possessing qualities, such as warmth, attractiveness, etc, generally regarded as typical of a woman, esp a mature woman
2. characteristic of or belonging to a woman

Derived Forms

• ˈwomanliness, noun

Other Words From

• woman·li·ness woman·ness noun
• half-woman·ly adjective
• un·woman·ly adjective adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of womanly¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English wommanli(che); woman, -ly

Synonym Study

Womanly, womanlike, womanish mean having the traits or qualities that a culture regards as especially characteristic of or ideally appropriate to adult women. Womanly is usually a term of approval, suggesting the display of traits admired by the society, such as self-possession, modesty, motherliness, and calm competence: a womanly consideration for others; with womanly skill and efficiency. Womanlike may be a neutral synonym for womanly, or it may suggest mild disapproval: a womanlike dignity; womanlike tears and recriminations. Womanish is usually disparaging; applied to women it suggests traits not generally socially approved: a womanish petulance; womanish disregard for the rules. Applied to men it suggests traits culturally deemed inappropriate for men and (in what is now often regarded as a sexist notion) to be found in women: a womanish shrillness in his speech; a womanish way of stamping his foot in anger. female.

Example Sentences

It’s my womanly body, my hip had spread to a nice level and a lot of it went to my butt.

From Essence.com

All the grit of his leading man handsomeness had been polished away, and with this new look, he became pretty, feminized, womanly.

From Vox

Any belly fat might redistribute itself in a more “womanly” way around the hips, thighs, and buttocks.

From The Daily Beast

In Family Weekend, then, Chenoweth gets what may be her most womanly film role yet.

From The Daily Beast

Fuller had an instinct, “from a very early age ... that I was not born to the common womanly lot,” Marshall explains.

From The Daily Beast

And yes, his clothes are even designed to fit women with womanly assets.

From The Daily Beast

Every comment, every slight, every mean assessment of my body, my face, my physical womanly beautiful outside.

From The Daily Beast

Many of them were delicious in the role; one of them was the embodiment of every womanly grace and charm.

From Project Gutenberg

He indicated a fair beautiful creature with a determined profile and deep womanly figure.

From Project Gutenberg

But today—after that terrible ordeal, she felt as if life held little for her, that she was now unfit to perform any womanly duty.

From Project Gutenberg

He smiled with delight when he saw Jess coming down the stairs in her womanly fashion.

From Project Gutenberg

She was riding close beside him—an embodied friendliness—a soft and womanly Chloe, very different from the old.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• female
• feminine