filipina
filipina Lexical Profile
• noun
A woman or girl who is a native or citizen of the Philippines, or a female person of Philippine descent.
"She became the first Filipina to win an Olympic gold medal when she triumphed in the weightlifting competition."
• adjective
Relating to, characteristic of, or designating women or girls from the Philippines or of Philippine descent.
"The anthology highlights the literary contributions of prominent Filipina authors throughout the twentieth century."
Word Nuance & Usage
Following Spanish grammatical gender conventions retained in Philippine and international English, 'Filipina' specifically refers to women or girls (as a noun or adjective modifying female subjects), whereas 'Filipino' serves as both the masculine form and the general gender-neutral demonym and language name.
• Rhymes for filipina
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish 'filipina', the feminine form of 'filipino', referring to the Philippine Islands, which were named in 1543 by Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos in honor of Prince Philip of Asturias (later King Philip II of Spain).