[ME. feminite, a. OF. feminité, f. Lat. type *fēminitas, f. fēmina woman.]
1. = FEMININITY 1.
1386. Chaucer, Man of Law’s T., 262 (Lansd. 360). O serpent vnder femenyte.
c. 1470. Hardyng, Chron., Proem, xiv.
| The thyrde sonne was, of good kyng Edwarde, | |
| That wedded dame Blaunch, ful of feminytee. |
c. 1485. Digby Myst. (1882), III. 71. Here is mary, ful fayr and ful of femynyte.
14[?]. Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866), 43.
| That passaunt Goodnes, the Rote of all vertve, | |
| which Rotide is in youre femynete. |
1595. Spenser, Col. Clout, 512.
| She is the paterne of true womanhead, | |
| And onely mirrhor of feminitie. |
1854. Marion Harland, Alone, iv. She laughed at the ludicrous repetition of feminity in the second line.
1868. Browning, Ring & Bk., IX. 299.
| The lady, foes allege, put forth each charm | |
| And proper floweret of feminity. |
2. = FEMININITY 2.
1669. H. More, Exp. 7 Epist., vi. 83. There being all these symptoms of Feminity in the Church of Rome.
1890. J. Forster, in Academy, 23 Aug., 149/2. There is … a decided note of feminity in his genius; a want of manly strength.
3. = FEMININITY 4; also a band of women. † Queen of feminity: queen of the Amazons.
c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas, I. viii. (1544), 14 a.
| Theseus … Weddid Ipolita, as bokes specifye, | |
| The hardy quene of Feminye. |
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, I. 1633.
| Nexte in ordre surynge, sette in goodly purtrayture, | |
| Was our blessed lady, floure of femynyte. |
1813. Hogg, Queen’s Wake, 171.
| Yes, I haif watchit ouir ilk degree, | |
| Quhairevir blumis femenitye. |
1816. Scott, Antiq., xxii. I tell thee, Mary, Hector’s understanding, and far more that of feminity, is inadequate to comprehend the extent of the loss.
1872. Browning, Fifine, xxi.
| Provided … this feminity be followed | |
| By … Fifine! |
