all-female
Meaning
Consisting entirely of women or girls.
Structure
Usage
The engineering department launched an all-female mentorship program to encourage more women in the field.
The band was originally all-female but later added a male drummer.
The film features an all-female cast in a powerful retelling of the classic story.
Etymology
The compound adjective "all-female" is a modern English formation built from two native elements. "All" derives from the Proto-Germanic allaz, carrying the core sense of "whole" or "entire," which has remained remarkably stable. "Female" entered English via Old French from the Latin femina, meaning "woman." The logic of the compound is transparent and descriptive: it literally means "entirely consisting of women," directly combining the concept of totality with the specific gender classification to describe groups, teams, or ensembles.
Analysis
- all: From Old English eall, meaning "entire, whole, every." It functions as an intensifying prefix indicating completeness. - female: From Latin femella, a diminutive of femina ("woman"). It functions as the core noun element, specifying the gender.