an animal that produces gametes (ova) that can be fertilized by male gametes (spermatozoa)
"During their breeding season, the female sea turtle travels miles to find a sandy beach where she will lay her eggs."
a person who belongs to the sex that can have babies
"The vet confirmed that the female rabbit was ready for breeding after her recent checkup."
One of the female (feminine) sex or gender.
"The female penguin in the pair was incubating the egg on her feet to keep it warm."
A human member of the feminine sex or gender.
"The female manager shook hands with every applicant before making her final selections."
In plain English: A female is a woman or girl who has biological characteristics associated with being born as a girl.
"The female in the nest started to lay her eggs today."
Usage: Use "female" as a noun only when referring specifically to a biological sex rather than a social gender identity. In most modern contexts, it is better to use "woman" for adults and "girl" for children unless discussing animals or scientific classification.
being the sex (of plant or animal) that produces fertilizable gametes (ova) from which offspring develop
"a female heir"
"female holly trees bear the berries"
for or pertaining to or composed of women or girls
"the female lead in the play"
"a female chorus"
Belonging to the sex which typically produces eggs (ova), or to the gender which is typically associated with it.
"The female lion led her pride through the dry savanna in search of water."
In plain English: Female is used to describe something that belongs to the female sex, like a girl or a woman.
"The female dog barked loudly at the mail carrier."
Usage: Use female as an adjective to describe biological characteristics of organisms that produce eggs or are socially identified as women. Avoid using it to refer to inanimate objects or concepts, where terms like feminine or specific descriptors are more appropriate.
The word "female" entered Middle English from Old French and Medieval Latin, originally meaning a young woman or girl as a diminutive of the root for "woman." Its modern spelling and pronunciation were later adjusted to match the sound pattern of the unrelated word "male."