woman
an adult female person.: Compare man (def. 1), girl (def. 1).
a female employee or representative: A woman from the real estate agency called.
Informal.
a wife.
a female lover or sweetheart.
Older Use:Usually Offensive. a female employee who cleans a house, cooks, etc.; housekeeper.
(in historical use) a female attendant to a lady of rank: Your woman informed us of your travel plans.
the nature, characteristics, or feelings often attributed to women; womanliness: He has always loved and admired the woman in her.
women collectively: Woman is no longer subordinate to man.
to put into the company of a woman.
to equip or staff with women.
Obsolete. to cause to act or yield like a woman.
Idioms about woman
be one's own woman, (of females) to be free from restrictions, control, or dictatorial influence; be independent.
Origin of woman
1synonym study For woman
usage note For woman
Other words from woman
- wom·an·less, adjective
- an·ti·wom·an, adjective
Words that may be confused with woman
- lady, woman (see synonym study at the current entry; see usage note at the current entry)
Other definitions for -woman (2 of 2)
a combining form of woman: chairwoman; forewoman; spokeswoman.
usage note For -woman
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for woman
/ (ˈwʊmən) /
an adult female human being
(modifier) female or feminine: a woman politician; woman talk
women collectively; womankind
the woman feminine nature or feelings: babies bring out the woman in her
a female servant or domestic help
a man considered as having supposed female characteristics, such as meekness or timidity
informal a wife, mistress, or girlfriend
the little woman informal one's wife
woman of the streets a prostitute
rare to provide with women
obsolete to make effeminate
Origin of woman
1Other words from woman
- Related prefixes: gyno-, gynaeco-
Derived forms of woman
- womanless, adjective
- woman-like, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with woman
see feel like oneself (new woman); marked man (woman); (woman) of few words; own person (woman); right-hand man (woman); scarlet woman.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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