woman

noun wom·an \ˈwu̇-mən, especially Southern ˈwō- or ˈwə-\

: an adult female human being

: a woman who has a specified job or position

: all women thought of as a group

plural wom·en \ˈwi-mən\

Full Definition of WOMAN

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>

: distinctively feminine nature : womanliness

: a woman who is a servant or personal attendant

a chiefly dialect : wife

b : mistress

c : girlfriend 2

— woman adjective

— wom·an·less \-ləs\ adjective

See woman defined for English-language learners

See woman defined for kids

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

First Known Use: before 12th century

WOMAN Defined for Kids

noun wom·an \ˈwu̇-mən\

plural wom·en \ˈwi-mən\

: an adult female person

: women considered as a group

Next Word in the Dictionary: woman–about–townPrevious Word in the Dictionary: wolvishAll Words Near: woman

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