feminize

/ˈfɛmɪnaɪz/

//ˈfɛmɪnaɪz// verb

"feminize" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“feminize” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make (more) feminine.

Corpus desk

Index EN-feminize · feminize · English

feminize · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "F" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for feminize
PropertyValue
Headwordfeminize
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈfɛmɪnaɪz/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “feminize” sits in English frequency

feminize falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

feminize is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈfɛmɪnaɪz/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for feminize, and the word's spelling is regular enough that our generator found nothing worth flagging. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Latin fēmina (“woman, female”) + -ize. The correct English form is feminize, spelled F-E-M-I-N-I-Z-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make (more) feminine.
  2. 2
    To become (more) feminine.

Etymology

From Latin fēmina (“woman, female”) + -ize.

Synonyms

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

PlainSpell is rendered directly from structured Wiktionary extracts and open word-frequency lists, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 6, 2026. Primary sources: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) and FrequencyWords.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "feminize"?
"feminize" is spelled F-E-M-I-N-I-Z-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɛmɪnaɪz/.
What does "feminize" mean?
As a verb, "feminize" means: To make (more) feminine.
How do you pronounce "feminize"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "feminize" is /ˈfɛmɪnaɪz/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "feminize"?
From Latin fēmina (“woman, female”) + -ize. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list