kvinnlig

Kvinnlig is an adjective used in Swedish to mean female or pertaining to women. It describes nouns related to women, such as professions, roles, or attributes, and is used to distinguish gender in various contexts. Examples include en kvinnlig läkare (a female doctor) and kvinnligt ledarskap (women’s leadership, or leadership considered from a female perspective).

Etymology and cognates: The word derives from the Swedish noun kvinna (woman) with the suffix -lig, forming an adjective meaning of or relating to women. The form is closely related to cognates in other Scandinavian languages, such as Danish kvindelig and Norwegian kvinnelig, which share the same roots and a similar grammatical role.

Grammar and inflection: In Swedish, the adjective kvinnlig inflects to agree with the noun it modifies. Indefinite singular common gender: en kvinnlig läkare. Indefinite singular neuter: ett kvinnligt barn. Plural: kvinnliga läkare. The neuter singular form ends with -t (kvinnligt), while the plural form is kvinnliga, aligning with standard Swedish adjective agreement patterns.

Usage notes: Kvinnlig is used in formal and informal language to discuss gender, representation, or attributes associated with women. It can describe personnel, characteristics, or categories, and is often contrasted with masculine equivalents. While primarily linguistic and descriptive, it may also appear in policy, academic, or media contexts when addressing gender considerations.

See also: kvinna, feminin, gender, gendered language, -lig suffix, Danish kvindelig, Norwegian kvinnelig.