women
[ wim-in ]
/ ˈwɪm ɪn /
noun
plural of woman.
Words nearby women
Definition for women (2 of 3)
woman
[ woo m-uh n ]
/ ˈwʊm ən /
noun, plural wom·en [wim-in] /ˈwɪm ɪn/.
verb (used with object)
adjective
of women; womanly.
female: a woman plumber.
Origin of woman
synonym study for woman
Woman,
female,
lady are nouns referring to adult human beings who are biologically female; that is, capable of bearing offspring.
Woman is the general term. It is neutral, lacking either favorable or unfavorable implication, and is the most commonly used of the three:
a wealthy woman; a woman of strong character, of unbridled appetites. In scientific, statistical, and other objective use,
female is the neutral contrastive term to
male and may apply to plants and animals also:
104 females to every 100 males; Among lions, the female is the chief hunter.
Female is sometimes used in disparaging contexts:
a gossipy female; a conniving female.
Lady meaning “refined, polite woman” is a term of approval or praise:
a real lady in all things; to behave like a lady.
usage note for woman
2. Although formerly
woman was sometimes regarded as demeaning and
lady was the term of courtesy,
woman is the designation preferred by most modern female adults:
League of Women Voters; American Association of University Women.
Woman is the standard feminine parallel to
man. As a modifier of a plural noun,
woman, like
man, is exceptional in that the plural form
women is used:
women athletes; women students. The use of
lady as a term of courtesy has diminished somewhat in recent years (
the lady of the house ), although it still survives in a few set phrases (
ladies' room; Ladies' Day ).
Lady is also used, but decreasingly, as a term of reference for women engaged in occupations considered by some to be menial or routine:
cleaning lady; saleslady. See also
girl,
lady,
-woman.
OTHER WORDS FROM woman
wom·an·less, adjective an·ti·wom·an, adjectiveWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH woman
lady woman (see synonym study at the current entry) (see usage note at the current entry)Definition for women (3 of 3)
women's
[ wim-inz ]
/ ˈwɪm ɪnz /
noun, plural wom·en's.
a range of sizes usually from 38 to 44 for garments that fit larger than average women.
a garment in this size range.
the department or section of a store where these garments are sold.
Example sentences from the Web for women
British Dictionary definitions for women (1 of 2)
British Dictionary definitions for women (2 of 2)
woman
/ (ˈwʊmən) /
noun plural women (ˈwɪmɪn)
verb (tr)
rare
to provide with women
obsolete
to make effeminate
Other words from woman
Related prefixes: gyno-, gynaeco-Derived forms of woman
womanless, adjective woman-like, adjectiveWord Origin for woman
Old English
wīfmann, wimman; from
wife +
man (human being)
Idioms and Phrases with women
woman
see feel like oneself (new woman); marked man (woman); (woman) of few words; own person (woman); right-hand man (woman); scarlet woman.