noun
Joan
john
noun
1
A generic or placeholder name for an ordinary woman, especially a young working-class one.
"The pamphlet was addressed to "every Joan on the factory floor.""
2
A close-fitting women's cap that was fashionable in the mid-1700s.
"The portrait shows her wearing a plain linen joan."
How to Use Joan
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBest known today as a given name; the placeholder-name and cap senses are historical and rarely used now.
Word Forms
Joans plural
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The pamphlet was addressed to "every _____ on the factory floor."
Etymology
A shortened form of Joanna, ultimately from Hebrew via Greek and Latin, meaning "God is gracious."