What does defeminising mean?
Defeminising is the present participle of defeminise, meaning to make someone or something less feminine, or to strip away qualities regarded as characteristically feminine. In its clearest uses, the word refers to social or cultural pressures that reduce a woman to stereotypically feminine behaviour, appearance, or roles; it may also describe design, representation, or treatment intended to diminish feminine associations. The term has a strongly analytical register and belongs especially to discussions of gender, psychology, literature, and aesthetics. Because “feminine” has often been used to label traits as naturally female, defeminising can imply a claim that those traits are imposed rather than innate, which makes the word politically charged. Careful writers may prefer less loaded alternatives when describing an individual's presentation or identity. The British spelling uses -ise, while American usage commonly uses -z-. The word is most useful when its agent and target are clear: naming a process defeminising women is not the same as asserting that any particular trait defines them.
To make someone or something seem, feel, or be less feminine, especially by removing or suppressing qualities perceived as feminine.
"The policy was accused of defeminising women by presenting femininity as incompatible with professional authority."
The passive form, defeminised, is common when the agent is unknown or is not the main point of emphasis.
Of or involving the act of making someone or something less feminine.
"The design was criticised for its defeminising effect on the wearer's silhouette."
This is a participial adjective formed from the verb defeminise.
Calling something defeminising raises a provocative question: can femininity itself be subtracted?
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does defeminising come from?
Defeminising is an English formation built from the prefix de-, the Latin-derived adjective feminine, and the verbal suffix -ise; American spelling uses -ize. The component feminine descends through French from Latin femina, meaning “woman” or “female.” The English construction expresses the removal or reversal of feminine character and is now especially associated with critical discussions of gender, social conditioning, representation, and identity.
Related word forms
How defeminising is actually used
The word has a formal, analytical register and is especially associated with discussions of gender, psychology, literature, and aesthetics. It may sound reductive or politically loaded when applied to people because it treats femininity as a characteristic that can be removed; more specific alternatives are often preferable when describing an individual's gender expression or identity. British spelling normally uses -ise, while American usage commonly uses -z-.
Easily confused with defeminising
Defeminising means removing qualities perceived as feminine, whereas defamining means damaging someone's reputation through false statements.