woman

[[t]w'ʊmən[/t]]

♦

women

1) N-COUNT A woman is an adult female human being.

...a young Lithuanian woman named Dayva.

...men and women over 75 years old.

...a woman doctor.

2) N-UNCOUNT You can refer to women in general as woman.

...the oppression of woman.

3) N-COUNT: supp N If you say that a woman is, for example, a gambling woman or an outdoors woman, you mean that she likes gambling or outdoor activities.

a woman about town → see town

She is an avid outdoors woman...

I'm too old to have a dog now. I'm a cat woman.

4) N-COUNT: n-proper N If you say that a woman is, for example, a London woman or an Oxford woman, you mean that she comes from London or Oxford, or went to university there.

...a 38-year-old London woman...

The headmistress was an Oxford woman.

5) N-COUNT: poss N Some people refer to a man's wife, lover, or girlfriend as his woman. [INFORMAL]

I know my woman will never leave me.

6) N-COUNT: with supp You can refer to a female representative of a company or organization as that company or organization's woman.

Yet another successful Labour woman took her seat...

That's Judith Croft, the CND woman.

7) N-VOC People sometimes address a woman as woman when they are ordering her to do something or when they are angry or impatient with her. This use could cause offence.

Do you realize, woman, the scandal and publicity that will be involved?

8) → See also career woman

9) PHRASE: V inflects (approval) If you say that a woman is her own woman, you approve of the fact that she makes her plans and decisions herself, and does not depend on other people.

She knew she had made the right decision. She was her own woman again.

10) woman of the world → see world