Did You Know?

Muliebrity has been used in English to suggest the distinguishing character or qualities of a woman or of womankind since the 16th century. (Its masculine counterpart, "virility," entered the language at about the same time.) "Muliebrity" comes from Latin mulier, meaning "woman," and probably is a cognate of Latin mollis, meaning "soft." "Mollis" is also the source of the English verb "mollify"-a word that implies a "softening" of hurt feelings or anger.