woman

noun

wom·​an ˈwu̇-mən 

especially Southern

ˈwō- 

or

ˈwə- 

plural women ˈwi-mən 

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 

 especially Southern  ˈwō-

 or  ˈwə-

adjective

Synonyms

• female
• lady
• skirt [slang]

Example Sentences

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

Curry’s partnership with Under Armour began in 2013 and his influence has spread into youth sports, women’s sports, golf and more. —C.j. Holmes, San Francisco Chronicle, 30 Mar. 2023

Over the past few years, each woman’s highly specific take on emotionally vulnerable guitar music has achieved fervent acclaim (plus moderate fame in the case of Bridgers, a Taylor Swift tourmate and a tabloid fascination). —Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 30 Mar. 2023

Not all women’s razors are made equal. —Barbara Bellesi Zito, Peoplemag, 30 Mar. 2023

In February, the NCAA issued sanctions on the school's women’s basketball program for its recruitment of the twins, claiming Ruiz provided an impermissible meal. —Ashan Singh, ABC News, 30 Mar. 2023

This sale includes markdowns on beauty, home decor, men’s apparel, women’s apparel and other accessories. —Josie Howell | , al, 30 Mar. 2023

Mixed martial artists Pearl Gonzalez (2-0) and Gina Mazany (0-0) are scheduled to fight six rounds in the woman's lightweight division. —Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2023

On Saturday, the CCBC Essex women’s basketball team captured its first national championship in just its fourth year after a 15-year hiatus. —Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2023

The city made global news last year as home to the women's basketball team that Britney Griner played for when the WNBA star was arrested in Russia on drug charges. —John Bacon, USA TODAY, 30 Mar. 2023

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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

Phrases Containing woman

• a man/woman/person of substance
• a man/woman/person to be reckoned with
• a man/woman/person to reckon with
• anti-woman
• make an honest woman of (someone)
• battered woman syndrome
• emancipated woman
• kept woman
• like a man/woman possessed
• little woman
• man/woman of few words
• man/woman of his/her word
• one-woman
• other woman
• the other woman
• trans woman
• woman/man of style
• woman of ill repute
• woman of the street
• woman's/feminine touch
• woman suffrage
• fancy woman
• a marked man/woman
• woman of letters
• woman's rights
• the little woman
• woman of the world
• make (someone) an honest woman
• Renaissance woman
• woman of color
• cleaning woman

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• a man/woman/person of substance
• a man/woman/person to be reckoned with
• a man/woman/person to reckon with
• anti-woman
• make an honest woman of (someone)
• battered woman syndrome
• emancipated woman
• kept woman
• like a man/woman possessed
• little woman
• man/woman of few words
• man/woman of his/her word
• one-woman
• other woman
• the other woman
• trans woman
• woman/man of style
• woman of ill repute
• woman of the street
• woman's/feminine touch
• woman suffrage
• fancy woman
• a marked man/woman
• woman of letters
• woman's rights
• the little woman
• woman of the world
• make (someone) an honest woman
• Renaissance woman
• woman of color
• cleaning woman

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Kids Definition

woman

noun

wom·​an ˈwu̇m-ən 

plural women ˈwim-ən 

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"