An organism's sex is female ( symbol: ♀) if it produces the ovum (egg cell), the type of

gamete A gamete ( ) is a Ploidy#Haploid and monoploid, haploid cell that fuses with another haploid cell during fertilization in organisms that Sexual reproduction, reproduce sexually. Gametes are an organism's reproductive cells, also referred to as s ...

(sex cell) that fuses with the male gamete (sperm cell) during sexual reproduction. A female has larger gametes than a

male Male (Planet symbols, symbol: ♂) is the sex of an organism that produces the gamete (sex cell) known as sperm, which fuses with the larger female gamete, or Egg cell, ovum, in the process of fertilisation. A male organism cannot sexual repro ...

. Females and males are results of the anisogamous reproduction system, wherein gametes are of different sizes (unlike

isogamy Isogamy is a form of sexual reproduction that involves Gamete, gametes of the same Morphology (biology), morphology (indistinguishable in shape and size), and is found in most Unicellular organism, unicellular eukaryotes. Because both gametes lo ...

where they are the same size). The exact mechanism of female gamete evolution remains unknown. In species that have males and females, sex-determination may be based on either sex chromosomes, or environmental conditions. Most female

mammal A mammal () is a vertebrate animal of the Class (biology), class Mammalia (). Mammals are characterised by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three ...

s, including female

human Humans (''Homo sapiens'') or modern humans are the most common and widespread species of primate, and the last surviving species of the genus ''Homo''. They are Hominidae, great apes characterized by their Prehistory of nakedness and clothing ...

s, have two X chromosomes. Characteristics of organisms with a female sex vary between different species, having different female reproductive systems, with some species showing characteristics secondary to the reproductive system, as with mammary glands in mammals. In humans, the word ''female'' can also be used to refer to gender in the social sense of

gender role A gender role, or sex role, is a social norm deemed appropriate or desirable for individuals based on their gender or sex. Gender roles are usually centered on conceptions of masculinity and femininity. The specifics regarding these gendered ...

or gender identity. (eBook)

Etymology and usage

The word ''female'' comes from the Latin , the diminutive form of , meaning " woman", by way of the Old French ''femelle''. It is not etymologically related to the word ''

'', but in the late 14th century the English spelling was altered to parallel that of ''male''.Donald M. Ayers, ''English Words from Latin and Greek Elements'', second edition (1986, University of Arizona Press), p. 113 It has been used as both noun and adjective since the 14th century. Originally, from its first appearance in the 1300s, ''female'' exclusively referred to humans and always indicated that the speaker spoke of a woman or a girl. A century later, the meaning was expanded to include non-human female organisms. For several centuries, using the word ''female'' as a noun was considered more respectful than calling her a ''woman'' or a ''lady'' and was preferred for that reason; however, by 1895, the linguistic fashion had changed, and ''female'' was often considered disparaging, usually on the grounds that it grouped humans with other animals. In the 21st century, the noun ''female'' is primarily used to describe non-human animals, to refer to biologically female humans in an impersonal technical context (e.g., "Females were more likely than males to develop an autoimmune disease"), or to impartially include a range of people without reference to age (e.g., ''girls'') or social status (e.g., ''lady''). As an adjective, ''female'' is still used in some contexts, particularly when the sex of the person is relevant, such as ''female athletes'' or to distinguish a '' male nurse'' from a female one. Biological sex is conceptually distinct from gender, although they are often used interchangeably. The adjective ''female'' can describe a person's sex or gender identity. The word can also refer to the shape of connectors and fasteners, such as screws, electrical pins, and technical equipment. Under this convention, sockets and receptacles are called ''female,'' and the corresponding plugs ''male''.

Defining characteristics

Females produce ova, the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller and usually motile gametes, the spermatozoa, are produced by males. Generally, a female cannot reproduce sexually without access to the gametes of a male, and vice versa,