woman

woman
n. (pl. women)
1 an adult human female.
2 the female sex; any or an average woman (how does woman differ from man?).
3 a wife or female sexual partner.
4 (prec. by the) emotions or characteristics traditionally associated with women (brought out the woman in him).
5 a man with characteristics traditionally associated with women.
6 (attrib.) female (woman driver; women friends).
7 (as second element in comb.) a woman of a specified nationality, profession, skill, etc. (Englishwoman; horsewoman).
8 colloq. a female domestic help.
9 archaic or hist. a queen's etc. female attendant ranking below lady (woman of the bedchamber).
Phrases and idioms:
woman of the streets a prostitute. Women's Institute an organization of women in rural areas to meet regularly and participate in crafts, cultural activities, etc. women's lib colloq. = women's liberation. women's libber colloq. a supporter of women's liberation. women's liberation the liberation of women from inequalities and subservient status in relation to men, and from attitudes causing these. Women's Liberation (or Movement) a movement campaigning for women's liberation. women's rights rights that promote a position of legal and social equality of women with men.
Derivatives:
womanless adj. womanlike adj.
Etymology: OE wifmon, -man (as WIFE, MAN), a formation peculiar to English, the ancient word being WIFE

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • Woman — • The position of woman in society has given rise to a discussion which, is known under the name of the woman question Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Woman     Woman      …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • woman — [woom′ən] n. pl. women [wim′ən] [ME wumman < OE wimmann < wifmann < wif, female, WIFE + mann, human being, MAN: rounding of vowel due to infl. of the initial w ] 1. a) the female human being b) women collectively …   English World dictionary

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  • Woman — Wom an, n.; pl. {Women}. [OE. woman, womman, wumman, wimman, wifmon, AS. w[=i]fmann, w[=i]mmann; w[=i]f woman, wife + mann a man. See {Wife}, and {Man}.] [1913 Webster] 1. An adult female person; a grown up female person, as distinguished from a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  • Woman — Single par John Lennon extrait de l’album Double Fantasy Pays  Royaume Uni …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Woman — (рус. Женщина) название нескольких песен: Woman (песня Берта Бакарака) Woman (песня Джона Леннона) Woman (песня Майка Макгира) Woman (песня Пола Маккартни) Woman (песня Wolfmother) См. также Женщина (значения) …   Википедия

  • woman — [n] female human aunt, daughter, gentlewoman, girl, girlfriend, grandmother, matron, mother, Ms./Miss/Mrs., niece, she, spouse, wife; concepts 414,415 Ant. man seaman / woman [n] sailor bluejacket, boater, boatman/woman, deck hand, mariner, mate …   New thesaurus

  • woman — ► NOUN (pl. women) 1) an adult human female. 2) a female worker or employee. 3) a wife or lover. ● the little woman Cf. ↑the little woman ● woman of the streets …   English terms dictionary

  • Woman — Wom an, v. t. 1. To act the part of a woman in; with indefinite it. Daniel. [1913 Webster] 2. To make effeminate or womanish. [R.] Shak. [1913 Webster] 3. To furnish with, or unite to, a woman. [R.] To have him see me woman d. Shak. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • woman — late O.E. wimman (pl. wimmen), lit. woman man, alteration of wifman (pl. wifmen), a compound of wif woman (see WIFE (Cf. wife)) + man human being (in Old English used in reference to both sexes; see MAN (Cf. man) (n.)). Cf. Du …   Etymology dictionary

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