Woman
/ˈwʊmən/noun
An adult female human being.
Did you know?The word 'woman' is linked to the Old English term for 'wife', which originally meant 'female' or 'female servant' in a context of power and subjugation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʷḗn
“woman, female”
Ancient Greek
Greek
γυνή (gunē)
“woman, wife”
Old English
Old English
wīfman
“female human, literally 'woman-man' or 'female person'.”
14th Century
Middle English
womman
“an adult female, derived from Old English.”
Modern English
English
woman
“the current term for an adult female human being.”