woman
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woman
- /ˈwʊmən/ Australia, US, New Zealand
- /ˈwɵmən/ British, Southern, Standard
- /ˈwʉmən/ Northern Ireland, Scotland
- /ˈwoʊmən/ US, dialectal
- [ˈwomɪn] US, dialectal
- /ˈ(ʋ)ʊmən/ India
- /(ʋ)ʊˈmæːn/ India
Sounds like women (some dialects, common in New Zealand and South Africa) · Rhymes with -ʊmən
Where it comes from
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 construction can be found in West Frisian frommes (“woman, girl”) (from frou and minske, literally "woman human") and Afrikaans vroumens (“woman”, literally “woman-person”).
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".)
noun women · womxn · womyn · wom*n · wymyn · womin
- An adult female human. the first woman president of Spain
-
All female humans collectively; womankind.
THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.
Similar: femininity
- 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?
- 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.
- 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.
- A female attendant or servant. By her woman I sent your message.
Similar: lady, female, more at Thesaurus:woman, babe, baggage, bim, bint, bird, bitch, blone, broad, chick, covess, dame, donna, feme, femme, femoid, frau, frow, gal, gash, gentlelady, ginch, hen, ho, huwoman, maness, mort, mulier · Opposite: man, girl
verb womans · womaning · womanning · womaned · womanned
- To staff with female labor. […]he should prove, from the testimony of the most experienced seamen, that the vessel was, if not, strictly speaking, sufficiently manned, yet that she was sufficiently manned and womanned. The Gypsey was a vessel of 43 tons burden, and there were on board two able seamen and the Captain’s wife, wh
- 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.
- To furnish with, or unite to, a woman. And think it no addition, nor my wish, / To have him see me woman'd.
- To call (a person) “woman” in a disrespectful fashion.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: girl, gal, maiden, damsel, female, lady, gentlewoman, mademoiselle, beldam, wench, lass, miss, madam, dame, matron, doyenne
Translations
Every language
noun adult female person
| Español | mujer, jerma |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 여성 yeoseong, 계집 gyejip, 여자 yeoja, 여인 yeoin |
| 日本語 | 女の人 onna no hito, 女 onna, 女性 josei, 女人 nyonin |
| 中文 | 婦女 /妇女 fùnǚ, 女人 nǚrén, 女性 nǚxìng, 女的 nǚ de |
| हिन्दी | महिला mahilā, नारी nārī, स्त्री strī, औरत aurat, जनि jani |
| Kiswahili | mwanamke |
| Português | mulher |
| Français | femme |
| Deutsch | Frau, Weib, Weibchen, Weibsperson, Mensch |
| Italiano | donna |
| Ελληνικά | γυναίκα gynaíka |
| Română | femeie, muiere, doamnă |
| Русский | же́нщина žénščina, жена́ žená, ба́ба bába |
| Tiếng Việt | phụ nữ, đàn bà |
| العربية | اِمْرَأَة imraʔa |
| עברית | אישה \ אִשָּׁה ishá |
verb To make effeminate or womanish
| Deutsch | feminisieren, verweiblichen |
|---|
Talk about this word "woman." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/woman. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. woman. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/woman "woman." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/woman.Cite this
@misc{woman_2026,
title = {woman},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/woman},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
