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woman

adult female human

/ˈwʊmɘn/

[C] Countable
pl: womanpast: womenpp: womaning: womencomp: more womensup: most women

This term serves as the standard designation for an adult female, carrying a neutral connotation in most contexts. It distinguishes the subject from a girl, implying maturity, legal adulthood, or a specific social status associated with adulthood. While the word is a standard countable noun, it is frequently used in collective or generic senses to refer to the female sex as a whole. In such broad contexts, it can function as a category of humanity, though it remains grammatically singular unless referring to multiple individuals.

Countable as an individual.

💬Casual Conversation

🎬Tuesday afternoon in a cramped server room
Brian

Who is this woman on the phone complaining about a password?

Brian
Mark
Mark

Probably some exec. I'm just gonna tell her it's a glitch.

💡
Brian is annoyed by the interruption while Mark is trying to avoid actually fixing the problem.

Meanings

Nounadult female human

An adult female human being.

"The woman is a leading expert in her field of research."

Examples

I just saw that woman walking her dog.

Wait, is that woman actually the CEO?

Look, that woman over there is screaming!

I'm sorry, the woman in the lobby is waiting.

She is the most influential woman in the city.

Get that woman out of my office right now!

I can't believe that woman just cut me off!

Which woman is handling the account for the client?

Is the woman still on the phone with you?

Collocations & Compounds

business woman

a woman who works in business

She is a successful business woman.

career woman

a woman focused on her professional life

She is a dedicated career woman.

young woman

a female in her late teens or early twenties

The young woman asked for directions.

strong woman

a woman with great mental or physical strength

She has always been a strong woman.

first woman

the first female to achieve a specific feat

She was the first woman to walk in space.

Etymology

Derived from Old English 'wifman', a compound of 'wif' (wife, woman) and 'man' (human being). The shift from 'wifman' to 'woman' occurred through the process of i-mutation in Proto-Germanic roots, eventually evolving into Middle English 'wommen' before stabilizing as 'woman'.

Related Words

Last Updated: June 8, 2026Report an Error