hembra

female

noun EHM-brah Less Common

Origin: From Latin femina via femella.

Usage Note

Hembra denotes the female of any species in biological or zoological contexts (hembra de elefante, female elephant). It is used in scientific and animal-husbandry registers. As an adjective it is invariable: el gato hembra. Applied to humans outside of a clinical context it can sound crude; mujer is the standard term for a woman.

Examples

"La hembra cuida a sus crías con esmero."

Natural Translation

The female tends her young carefully.

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