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Glite Dictionary
fair sex

fair sex

1 9.9
An old polite phrase for women that shows admiration
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : el sexo justo
  • Such an old-fashioned view of the fair sex is rarely found in modern society.

Examples

  • He always spoke highly of the fair sex and treated all women with respect.

  • Many poets have celebrated the virtues and charms of the fair sex in their writings.

  • The fair sex deserves respect and admiration.

  • Many believe that the fair sex is more compassionate.

  • I often admire the grace and beauty of the fair sex in art and literature.

  • During the event, the speaker praised the intelligence and strength of the fair sex.

  • In many cultures, the fair sex is celebrated for their contributions to society.

Synonyms

woman
vsfair sex
∞ 1.0

Adult females considered together as a group

is more old-fashioned and admiring in tone than the neutral label
womanhood
vsfair sex
7 3.8

All female people in a society or culture considered together

focuses on gallantry and old-fashioned admiration rather than social state
the fair sex
vsfair sex
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Women that older writers treat as delicate and needing protection

is older and more gallant in tone rather than neutral group term

Surface Forms

fair sex singular
fair sexes plural

Morphology

fair + sex

A learner who knows 'fair' (beautiful/light) and 'sex' (gender) can plausibly infer that 'fair sex' refers to the (beautiful) female gender — i.e., women. However, the phrase is conventionalized and archaic with a polite/gallant nuance that is not strictly compositional, so the exact social connotation may not be fully predictable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Fair sex comes from older polite speech where fair meant 'beautiful' or 'delicate' and sex meant 'gender'. People used it to praise women, so today it is an old-fashioned way to refer to women with 'respect'.