English Reference
noun

women

n.
US /ˈwɪmən/ UK /wˈɪmɪn/ wom·en UK spelling women's

  1. 01 A2 Elementary Sport

    a team made up of female players.

    a collective noun or modifier designating a female sports team or division.

    Simple

    She plays for the local women's football team every Saturday.

    In context

    The club recently announced increased funding for the women's first team to match the resources available to the men.

    Usage

    Often used as a modifier before another noun or as part of a club name.

    Teacher's tip

    In sports titles, 'Women' is often used without an apostrophe (e.g., Chelsea Women), whereas 'Women's' is used for the possessive (e.g., the women's locker room).

    female team
    men's team

Usage women often · women face · women in the world


From Middle English wimmen, from Old English wīfmenn (“women”), from wīf (“female”) + menn (“men, persons, human beings”), equivalent to wife + men. Spelling (with o) influenced by the singular; see woman for more.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Old English wīfmenn
Level A1 · Beginner
Frequency Very common
Updated