second sex
Definition
Women collectively; womankind; the female sex. Humorous or sexist; dates back to a time when specific qualities were attributed to each gender.Synonyms: better sex; contrary sex; deadlier of the species; devout sex; fair sex; fairer sex; gentle sex; gentler sex; softer sex; shrieker sex; sterner sex; unfair sex; weaker sex.
Quote: Lawrence Paros, The Erotic Tongue (1984): ' 'Sex comes from the Latin secare, "to cut or divide," and we first used the word to designate the two major categories of humanity we have come to know and love as male and female. (...) We later used the word sex not only for dividing the sexes, but to refer to qualities of being male or female. Over time we assigned specific attributes to each category. These distinctions were dutifully recorded in the esteemed OED, making it all very official. The male was described as "the better" and "the sterner" sex; the female, as "the fairer," "the gentler," "the softer," and "the devout" sex. Women were also called "the second" sex. For a period of time between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, when people spoke of "the sex," they had women in mind.'
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SECL
seclude
secluded
seclusion
SECM
SECMAR
SECME
SECO
second
second base
second eye
second face
second highest duty calls, the
second hole from the back of the neck
second oldest profession
second-hand dartboart
second-story man
Secondary
Secondary victim
secondary adjunct
secondary education
secondary sex characteristics
secondary specimen
secondary syphilis
secondment
SecOp
SECP
SECR
SECRET
secret disease