madwoman
Madwoman (noun) means a woman who is insane or severely mentally disturbed. Example: “The novel's narrator is dismissed by everyone as a madwoman, though her account later proves accurate.”
How to use madwoman
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old-fashioned, often insensitive word for a woman who is mentally ill or acting irrationally.
Dated and can be considered offensive when applied to real people with mental illness; mostly seen now in literary or historical contexts.
Word forms
- Plural
- madwomen
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The novel's narrator is dismissed by everyone as a _____, though her account later proves accurate.
Etymology
From mad + woman.