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woman

noun
/ˈwʊm.ən/US/ˈwʊm.ən/

Etymology

From Middle English womman, from earlier wimman, wifman, from Old English wīfmann (“woman”, literally “female person”), a compound of wīf (“woman, female”, whence English wife) + mann (“person, human being”, whence English man). For details on the pronunciation and spelling history, see the usage notes below. Cognate with Scots woman, weman (“woman”), Saterland Frisian Wieuwmoanske (“female person, female human, woman”). Similar constructions can be found in West Frisian frommes (“woman, girl”) (from frou and minske, literally "woman human"). Further information on vocalic development The current pronunciation of the first vowel of the singular began to appear in western England in the 13th century under the rounding influence of the w, though the older pronunciation with /i/ (→ modern /ɪ/) remained in use into the 15th century. Although the vowel of the plural was sometimes also altered to /u/ (→ modern /ʊ/) beginning in the 14th century, the pronunciation with /ɪ/ ultimately won out there, possibly under the influence of pairs like foot–feet. However, some speakers (especially of New Zealand English or South African English) have either retained or reinnovated the pronunciation of the plural with /ʊ/. The modern spelling women for the plural is due to influence of the singular; it is attested from the 15th century. For a time in the 16th and 17th centuries, the pronunciation of the singular sometimes drifted even further back towards /uː/ or /ɔː~oː/ (→ modern /oʊ~əʊ/) and the plural sometimes drifted even further forward towards /iː/, leading to comparisons of the words to "woe man" or "we men".)

  1. inherited from wīfmann
  2. inherited from womman

Definitions

  1. An adult female human.

    • the first woman president of Spain
    • But this woman is a nice German woman that fell on the ice and sprained her ankle last winter, and we saw to her well as we could till she got better.
    • Dr. J. H. Vincent, the great lecturer, says that a man's greatness consists in his courage; his inherent nobleness; his noble deeds, great exploits, and benefits to the world; but that behind every great man is a great woman - his mother.

  2. All female humans collectively

    All female humans collectively; womankind.

    • Listen, Holly. Thou art a good and honest man, and I fain would spare thee; but, oh! it is so hard for woman to be merciful.
    • “[…] it is not fair of you to bring against mankind double weapons ! Dangerous enough you are as woman alone, without bringing to your aid those gifts of mind suited to problems which men have been accustomed to arrogate to themselves.”
    • I am Woman, hear me roar / In numbers too big to ignore

  3. A female person, usually an adult

    A female person, usually an adult: a (generally adult) female sentient being, whether human, supernatural, elf, alien, etc.

    • Sir, have you ever served with any Bajoran women?
    • To be born a woman has been to be born, within an allotted and confined space, into the keeping of men.
    • One of the elves, a woman with long auburn hair, was garbed identically to the two dwarves.
  4. ›+ 7 more definitions

    1. A wife (or sometimes a fiancée or girlfriend).

      • Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, So that he shall have no need of spoil.
      • And then, when he lies with his woman, the man may concurrently be with God, and so get increase of his soul.

    2. A female person who is extremely fond of or devoted to a specified type of thing. (Used…

      A female person who is extremely fond of or devoted to a specified type of thing. (Used as the last element of a compound.)

      • Perhaps my problem is that I am a cat woman. I can't imagine any finicky feline (and they all are that at one time or another) slobbering over anyone, even a beloved owner, the way a dog does.

    3. A female attendant or servant.

      • By her woman I sent your message.

    4. To staff with female labor.

      • Apparently the Sixty-ninth Street office of Bagby Answers, Inc., was being womaned for the day from other offices.
      • Gus Dinsmore, the public beach parking lot attendent,^([sic]) said he guessed that so many cars must be just stopped dead along the road that even those manned (or womaned) by able drivers would be unable to move.

    5. To make effeminate or womanish.

      • I have felt so many quirks of joy and grief / That the first face of neither on the start / Can woman me unto't.

    6. To furnish with, or unite to, a woman.

      • And think it no addition, nor my wish, / To have him see me woman'd.

    7. To call (a person) "woman" in a disrespectful fashion.

The neighborhood

Derived

adwoman, aircraftwoman, all-woman, applewoman, a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle, a woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle, batswoman, battered woman syndrome, behind every great man is a great woman, behind every great man there stands a woman, behind every successful man there stands a woman, bellwoman, biowoman, black woman, blade-woman, bondswoman, bosswoman, bottom woman, bushwoman, butter-woman, butt woman, cabwoman, cakewoman, career woman, cavalrywoman, chamberwoman, Changing Woman, char-woman, cheesewoman, churchwoman, cis-woman, ciswoman, clanswoman, cleaning woman, cocklewoman, conjure woman, Connachtwoman, Corkwoman, corpswoman, dead woman walking · +200 more

Vish — recursive loop

A definitional loop anchored at woman. Each word in the ring is defined by the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself. Scroll to it and watch.

01woman02humans03human04nature05treatment06treating07women

A definitional loop anchored at woman. Each word in the ring appears in the definition of the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself.

7 hops · closes at woman

curated · pre-corpus. live cycle detection across the full graph is the next major milestone.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA