woman

noun

wom·​an ˈwu̇-mən How to pronounce woman (audio)
especially Southern
ˈwō- How to pronounce woman (audio)
or
ˈwə- How to pronounce woman (audio)
plural women ˈwi-mən How to pronounce woman (audio)
nonstandard ˈwu̇-
Synonyms of womannext
1
a
: an adult female person
b
: a woman belonging to a particular category (as by birth, residence, membership, or occupation)
—usually used in combination
councilwoman
2
: womankind
3
: distinctively feminine nature : womanliness
4
: a woman who is a servant or personal attendant
5
a
chiefly dialectal : wife
b
: mistress
c
: girlfriend sense 2
6
: a woman who is extremely fond of or devoted to something specified
I'm a chocolate woman through and through, but one bite of West's banana pudding cupcake and I was sold.—Hattie Brown Garrow
woman adjective
womanless
ˈwu̇-mən-ləs How to pronounce woman (audio)
especially Southern ˈwō-
or ˈwə-
adjective

Synonyms of woman

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Examples of woman in a Sentence

She grew up to become a confident and beautiful woman. She is a grown woman. The store sells shoes for both men and women.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Just one other candidate has remained in the race for the Senate nomination — women’s health company CEO Saundra Pelletier. — ABC News, 25 July 2026 The courses Valkyrie will offer — a foundations course, a three-month program and a six-month course — are for women only. — Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 25 July 2026 According to the woman’s account, Leverett was banging his head against the walls and windows the day of the shooting. — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 July 2026 On the rocket ship that is women’s sports, softball is a few steps behind basketball or soccer. — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for woman

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English wīfman, from wīf woman, wife + man human being, man

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of woman was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing woman

Rhymes for woman

See All Rhymes for woman

Browse Nearby Words

wolvish
woman
woman's/feminine touch
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Woman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/woman. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

woman

noun
wom·​an ˈwu̇m-ən How to pronounce woman (audio)
plural women ˈwim-ən How to pronounce woman (audio)
1
: an adult female person
2
: womankind
3
: a woman who is a servant or attendant
Etymology

Old English wīfman "a female person," from wīf "woman, wife" and man "person"

More from Merriam-Webster on woman

Nglish: Translation of woman for Spanish Speakers

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