feme
Very LowLegal, Historical, Archaic
Definition
Meaning
A woman, especially in legal contexts referring to a married woman.
In historical and legal terminology, a woman, particularly one who is married (feme covert) or unmarried (feme sole). The term is archaic in general English but persists in some legal phrases.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word is almost exclusively used in fixed legal phrases. Its general use meaning 'woman' is obsolete. It carries no inherent positive or negative connotation but is marked by its extreme formality and datedness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is identical and equally archaic in both legal traditions, primarily found in historical documents or in referencing specific legal concepts like 'feme covert'.
Connotations
Purely technical and historical; no modern colloquial connotations exist.
Frequency
Extremely rare in both varieties. Might be marginally more encountered in British legal history texts due to the origin of the term in Anglo-Norman law.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Used attributively before a noun (e.g., feme sole trader)Used in the fixed phrase 'feme [adjective]'Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “feme covert (a married woman under the legal protection of her husband)”
- “feme sole (an unmarried woman, widow, or a married woman with independent legal status)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used only in historical or legal studies when discussing archaic English law or property rights.
Everyday
Never used.
Technical
Exclusively in legal history or in citing very old legal precedents; not in active modern legal drafting.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The case centred on the rights of a feme sole tenant.
- Feme covert status was crucial to the inheritance claim.
American English
- The property was held as a feme sole estate.
- The law distinguished between feme covert and feme sole.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The term 'feme covert' is found in many old English legal documents.
- Under common law, a feme covert had limited capacity to own property or enter into contracts independently of her husband.
- The legal fiction of 'feme sole trader' allowed some married women to conduct business.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'FEME' as the root of 'FEMale' but frozen in time, only found in legal 'covert' operations.
Conceptual Metaphor
WOMAN AS A LEGAL ENTITY (A now-obsolete metaphor framing a woman's identity through her marital status in law).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with the Russian word 'фем' (fem) as in 'фем-движение' (feminist movement). They are false friends. 'Feme' is not related to modern feminism.
- Avoid translating it as simply 'женщина' in modern contexts; it requires a historical/legal qualifier.
Common Mistakes
- Using it in modern writing to mean 'woman'.
- Pronouncing it like 'femme' (/fɛm/).
- Assuming it is related to the modern word 'feminine' in a stylistic sense.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would you most likely encounter the word 'feme' today?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It is an archaic legal term. Using it in modern speech or writing would sound very odd and pretentious.
'Feme covert' refers to a married woman, whose legal identity was historically 'covered' by her husband. 'Feme sole' refers to an unmarried woman, widow, or a married woman granted special legal independence.
It is pronounced /fiːm/, rhyming with 'dream' or 'seem'.
Yes, both words derive from the same Latin root 'femina' (woman). 'Feme' entered English via Anglo-Norman French, which is why it retains the older spelling and pronunciation.