Female

Female (also spelled dhedig) is the reproductive sex in sexually dimorphic organisms that produces large gametes, known as eggs or ova. The term applies to animals, humans, and some plants and fungi, in contrast to male, which produces small, motile gametes such as sperm or pollen.

The distinction between male and female rests on the size and function of gametes, not solely on external appearance. Many organisms display visible sexual dimorphism, though many others show minimal visible differences. Some organisms, particularly fish and plants, can produce both reproductive types simultaneously or at different times.

Sex determination mechanisms

In most animals, sex is determined by a chromosomal system. In humans and other mammals, female gametes typically contain two X chromosomes, while male gametes carry one X and one Y. Birds and some reptiles use different systems, such as ZW, where the female has two distinct chromosomes. In some insects, the environmental temperature during egg development determines sex.

Biological characteristics

Female organisms typically possess specialized reproductive organs, such as ovaries, which produce ova and hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. Female mammals become pregnant, develop offspring in the uterus, and then nurse them with milk. In birds, reptiles, amphibians, and many fish, the female lays eggs, which may develop inside or outside the body.

Plants and fungi

In plants, the female part is the pistil or carpel, which contains an ovary with ovules. When pollen arrives, fertilization occurs and fruit and seed develop. Many plants bear both male and female structures in a single flower, termed a hermaphroditic flower; others have separate male and female flowers or even entirely single-sex plants.