The feminine of wazīr is wazīrah.
Understanding Gendered Nouns: The Feminine of Wazīr
The term "wazīr" (sometimes spelled "vizier") originates from Arabic and historically refers to a high-ranking political advisor or minister in Islamic countries. While English often uses distinct words or suffixes to denote gender, the feminine form of "wazīr" follows Arabic grammatical conventions.
Gender in Language: English vs. Arabic
Languages around the world handle gender in various ways. English primarily uses "natural gender," meaning nouns are gendered based on the biological sex of the person or animal they refer to. For inanimate objects, English nouns are generally gender-neutral. In contrast, many other languages, including Arabic, employ "grammatical gender," where nouns, regardless of animate or inanimate, are assigned a specific gender (masculine or feminine, sometimes neuter) that affects their agreement with adjectives, articles, and verbs.
Here are some common examples of masculine and feminine word pairs in English:
| Masculine | Feminine | Gender-Neutral Equivalent (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|
| Prince | Princess | |
| Waiter | Waitress | Server |
| Rooster | Hen | Chicken |
| Stallion | Mare | Horse |
When a word like "wazīr" is adopted into English, its feminine form typically retains the grammatical structure of its language of origin.
Wazīrah: The Feminine Counterpart
In Arabic, the feminine form of a masculine noun is often created by adding a "tāʾ marbūṭah" (ة) to the end of the word, which sounds like an "a" or "ah" when pronounced. Following this rule, the feminine form of wazīr (وزير) is wazīrah (وزيرة). A "wazīrah" would therefore refer to a female minister or high-ranking advisor.
The feminine of wazīr is wazīrah.
