feminism
2 synonyms and 1 antonym for feminism, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A movement and set of beliefs advocating that women should have the same rights and opportunities as men.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
women's rights movement
gender equality movement
Antonyms
How to use feminism
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
first-wave feminism
a feminism scholar
Etymology
Borrowed from French féminisme around 1837, from Latin femina ("woman"). It originally meant simply "the state of being feminine" in English before taking on its modern political sense around 1895.
Full origin of feminism →Frequently asked questions
What does “feminism” mean?
The word “feminism” means a movement and set of beliefs advocating that women should have the same rights and opportunities as men. In plain terms, the political and social movement for gender equality.
How do you pronounce “feminism”?
“Feminism” is pronounced FEH-mih-nihzm (/ˈfɛmɪnɪz(ə)m/ in IPA).
How do you use “feminism” in a sentence?
Here is “feminism” used in a sentence: “Her thesis traced the history of feminism from the suffrage movement onward.”
What is the opposite of “feminism”?
The opposite of “feminism” — its antonyms — is antifeminism.
What part of speech is “feminism”?
“Feminism” is a noun.
Where does the word “feminism” come from?
The word “feminism” dates back to around 1837 and comes from Latin. Borrowed from French féminisme around 1837, from Latin femina ("woman"). It originally meant simply "the state of being feminine" in English before taking on its modern political sense around 1895.
Is “feminism” a common word?
“Feminism” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between "feminism" and "gender equality"?
"Feminism" is the movement and set of beliefs advocating that women should have the same rights and opportunities as men, while "gender equality" is the broader state of fairness between genders that feminism works toward achieving.
Is "feminism" a movement or a belief system?
It is both: feminism functions as an organized social and political movement with activism and advocacy, and also as a set of beliefs, or ideology, about equal rights for women.
What is the difference between "feminism" and "feminist"?
"Feminism" is the noun naming the movement or belief system itself, while "feminist" is used both as a noun for a supporter of feminism and as an adjective describing something related to it, such as "feminist literature."
