feminism

/ˌfɛməˈnɪzəm/

/ˈfɛmɪnɪzəm/

Other forms: feminisms

Feminism is a movement that advocates equal rights and opportunities for women. If you think that a man and woman doing the exact same job should get equal pay, then you believe in one of the basic principles of feminism.

When the word feminism first entered English in 1851, it referred simply to being feminine. By 1895, it had taken on its current meaning as a way to describe a theory or activity promoting women’s rights, especially back then, the right to vote. You might be familiar with the wave of feminism that took place during the 1970s, when women fought for more opportunities and equal pay.

Definitions of feminism

1. noun

   a doctrine that advocates equal rights for women
   type of:

   doctrine, ism, philosophical system, philosophy, school of thought

   a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school
2. noun

   the movement aimed at equal rights for women
   synonyms: feminist movement, women's lib, women's liberation movement

   type of:

   campaign, cause, crusade, drive, effort, movement

   a series of actions advancing a principle or tending toward a particular end