woman
44 synonyms and 2 antonyms for woman, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — An adult female human.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use woman
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
a young woman
women's rights
the women in her life
Etymology
From Old English wīfmann, literally "female person" — a compound of wīf ("woman", the ancestor of "wife") and mann ("person").
Full origin of woman →Frequently asked questions
What does “woman” mean?
The word “woman” means an adult female human. In plain terms, an adult human female.
How do you pronounce “woman”?
“Woman” is pronounced WUU-muhn (/ˈwʊmən/ in IPA).
How do you use “woman” in a sentence?
Here is “woman” used in a sentence: “She grew from a shy girl into a confident woman.”
What is another word for “woman”?
Words with a similar meaning to “woman” include lady, female, more at Thesaurus:woman, babe, baggage and bim.
What is the opposite of “woman”?
The opposite of “woman” — its antonyms — are man and girl.
What part of speech is “woman”?
“Woman” is a noun.
Where does the word “woman” come from?
The word “woman” comes from Old English. From Old English wīfmann, literally "female person" — a compound of wīf ("woman", the ancestor of "wife") and mann ("person").
Is “woman” a common word?
“Woman” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between a woman and a girl?
The difference is age and maturity. A woman is an adult female human, while a girl is a female child or young person who has not yet reached adulthood. The transition is gradual and shaped by culture, but 'woman' signals that someone is grown, independent, and no longer a child.
What is the plural of woman?
The plural of 'woman' is 'women.' Only the first vowel changes in spelling and sound: one woman, two women. The 'a' becomes an 'e' in writing, and the first syllable shifts from a 'wu' sound to a 'wi' sound. It is an irregular plural, so no 's' is added.
Is it 'woman' or 'women'?
Use 'woman' for one person and 'women' for two or more. 'Woman' is singular; 'women' is plural. A common mistake is writing 'a women' or 'many woman,' both of which are incorrect. Match the form to the number: one woman, several women.
