fìmmina

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Sicilian

[edit]
Sicilian Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia scn

Alternative forms

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

From Latin fēmina, from Proto-Italic *fēmanā, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁m̥h₁néh₂ ((the one) nursing, breastfeeding), the feminine mediopassive participle of *dʰeh₁(y)- (to suck, suckle). Cognate with Portuguese fêmea, Italian femmina, Spanish hembra, French femme.

Pronunciation

[edit]
  • IPA(key): /ˈfim.mi.na/ (Standard)
  • Hyphenation: fìm‧mi‧na

Noun

[edit]

fìmmina f (plural fìmmini)

  1. (biology) One of the female (feminine) sex or gender.
    1. (zoology) An animal of the sex that produces eggs.
    2. (botany) A plant which produces only that kind of reproductive organ capable of developing into fruit after impregnation or fertilization; a pistillate plant.
    3. A bacterium which lacks the F factor, and is able to receive DNA from another bacterium which has that factor.
  2. A human of the feminine sex or gender.
    Hyponyms: picciriḍḍa, carusa, signura
    Antonyms: picciriḍḍu, carusu, omu, òminu, màsculu
    1. (now possibly offensive in certain contexts) A female spouse or other person with whom one shares a domestic, romantic or sexual bond; girlfriend, wife
      Synonyms: zita, mugghieri
  3. A female connector, pipe fitting, etc.
  4. (card games) queen of the Sicilian playing cards
    Synonym: donna

Usage notes

[edit]
  • In Sicilian this term is used to refer both to the females of homo sapiens and to those of animals or plants.
  • The word donna (also ronna) is used, etymologically, to refer to women who own possessions and assets, like the male counterpart don (or ron).

Derived terms

[edit]
[edit]

Descendants

[edit]
  • Italian: fèmmina

See also

[edit]