The word feminist first appeared in print in 1894 and was coined as the adjective for feminism, which appeared in 1851. The agent noun feminist is first recorded in print in 1904. Originally, feminist only referred to women supporters of women’s rights. But the word—whether noun or adjective—now refers to a person of either sex, as in Yes, men can be feminists. Eighty-six percent of the Usage Panel approves of this usage.
