Word family noun woman womanhood womankind womanizer womanizing womanliness adjective womanly womanish verb womanize
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishwomanwom‧an /ˈwʊmən/ ●●● S1 W1 noun (plural women /ˈwɪmɪn/) 1 female person [countable]WOMAN an adult female person I was talking to a woman I met on the flight. married women a popular women’s magazine When a woman is pregnant, the levels of hormones in her body change.woman priest/doctor etc (=a priest etc who is a woman) Ireland’s first woman president women artists2 any woman [singular] formalWOMAN women in general A woman’s work is never done (=used to say that women have a lot to do).3 → businesswoman/spokeswoman etc4 → another woman/the other woman5 → be your own woman6 partner [singular] spokenGIRLFRIEND/BOYFRIENDMARRY a word meaning a wife or girlfriend, which many women find offensive Did he bring his new woman with him? → kept woman7 form of address [uncountable] old-fashioned not politeWOMAN a rude way of speaking to a woman when you are angry, annoyed etc8 servant [countable]DH a female servant or person who does cleaning work for you in your house → cleaner, daily help → old woman, → make an honest woman (out) of somebody at honest(8), → be a woman of the world at world1(21)THESAURUSwoman a female adult persona young woman with dark brown hairlady a polite word for a woman – used especially when you do not know the woman, or when the person you are talking to does not know the womanA glass of white wine please, for this lady here.The young lady stood up and shook my hand.girl a young female person – usually used about someone younger than about twentya very pretty girlteenage girlsfemale formal a woman – used especially when you are giving information about women, for example in formal surveys and reportsFemales account for 46% of Internet users.relating to womenfemale relating to women or girlsfemale votersAdvertisers try to sell things by using images of the female body.feminine used about qualities that are considered to be typical of womenYou must not cry or show any other feminine weakness.the ideal of feminine beautywomanly behaving, dressing etc in a way that is thought to be typical of or suitable for a woman – used to show approvalher womanly figurethe womanly virtues of compassion and patiencegirly/girlie informal behaving or dressing in a way that is thought to be typical of young girls, or suitable for a girl – often used disapprovinglyStop being so girly! It's only a mouse!a very girlie pink dresseffeminate disapproving a man who is effeminate looks or behaves like a womanHis long blonde hair made him look rather effeminate.a pale effeminate-looking young man Examples from the Corpus
woman• women's clothes• Women drivers tend to be much more careful than men.• What can a woman do when she can't trust her best friend?• And women go through a monthly pain cycle.• Could a man who deserted his wife and child for another woman get off free without scars?• Rebecca Stephens was the first British woman to climb Mount Everest.• an exciting new collection of short stories by women writers• Mrs Thatcher was Britain's first woman prime minister.• All participants were new sales and marketing managers, fourteen men and five women.• Who was the dark-haired woman you were talking to?• Not long ago, the Church of England voted to ordain women priests.• Some women work because, having reduced responsibilities and ties, they have more spare time and freedom.• Who's that woman you were talking to just now?• In some African countries, the women do most of the agricultural work.• But this woman was nothing like her.woman priest/doctor etc• One such male priest conducted a ritual of purification of a church after a woman priest had celebrated Mass there.• Is it worse than being a woman doctor?• I think they should tell people if they are going to see a woman doctor.• The Oxford Diocese overwhelmingly endorsed women priests in a poll last year.• Woman vicar death threat HATE-mail threats to decapitate a leading activist for women priests are being treated seriously by police.• When girls come here and meet women doctors, it may make all the difference for them.• Programme S.TDY 6:30 27/10/93 Episcopalians in a moral dilemma over the appointment of woman priests.• A decision on the ordination of women priests will be taken by the General Synod in November.WomanWoman trademark a British weekly magazine for women, especially popular with married women who have familiesOrigin woman Old English wifman, from wif ( → WIFE) + man “person” 