I.a female.
I. Lit.
A. Of human beings, a female, woman (cf.: uxor, mulier, matrona; “conjux, marita): ut a prima congressione maris et feminae ... ordiar,” Cic. Rep. 1, 24: “et mares deos et feminas esse dicitis,” id. N. D. 1, 34, 95: “ambiguus fuerit modo vir, modo femina Sithon,” Ov. M. 4, 280; cf. Lucr. 4, 819: “in claris viris et feminis,” Cic. Tusc. 1, 12, 27: “pulchritudine eximiā femina,” id. Div. 1, 25, 52: “feminae notitiam habere,” Caes. B. G. 6, 21 fin.: “naturam feminarum omnem castitatem pati,” Cic. Leg. 2, 12, 29; cf. id. Rep. 3, 10 fin.: “bona,” id. Phil. 3, 6, 16; cf.: “praestantissima omnium feminarum,” id. Fam. 5, 8, 2: “sanctissima atque optima,” id. Phil. 3, 6, 16: “probatissima,” id. Caecin. 4, 10: “primaria,” id. Fam. 5, 11, 2: “decreta super jugandis feminis,” Hor. C. S. 19: “varium et mutabile semper femina,” Verg. A. 4, 570: “tunc femina simplex,” the female character undisguised, Juv. 6, 327.—Adj.: “inter quas Danai femina turba senis,” Prop. 2, 31 (3, 29), 4.—Applied as a term of reproach to effeminate men, Ov. M. 12, 470; Sil. 2, 361; Suet. Caes. 22; Just. 1, 3; Curt. 3, 10 fin. al.—
B. Of beasts, a female, she: “(bestiarum) aliae mares, aliae feminae sunt,” Cic. N. D. 2, 51, 128: lupus femina feta repente, Enn. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 2, 355, and ap. Non. 378, 18 (Ann. v. 70 and 73 ed. Vahl.); cf.: “habendas triduum ferias et porco femina piaculum pati (shortly before, porca),” Cic. Leg. 2, 22, 57: “sus,” Col. 7, 9, 3: “anas,” Plin. 29, 5, 33, § 104: “anguis,” Cic. Div. 1, 18, 36; 2, 29, 62: “piscis,” Ov. A. A. 2, 482; Plin. 9, 50, 74, § 157; Ov. M. 2, 701.—
II. Transf., in the lang. of nat. hist., of plants and minerals: “mas in palmite floret, femina citra florem germinat tantum spicae modo,” Plin. 13, 4, 7, § 31; ib. § 34; “so of other plants,” id. 16, 33, 60, § 139; 16, 34, 62, § 145: “21, 10, 32, § 58 et saep.: in omni genere (carbunculorum) masculi appellantur acriores, et feminae languidius refulgentes,” Plin. 37, 7, 25, § 92; “of the loadstone,” id. 36, 16, 25, § 128.—In mechanics, cardo femina, different from cardo masculus (v. cardo, 2), Vitr. 9, 9 med.—
III. In gram., the feminine gender, Quint. 1, 6, 12; 1, 4, 24.
