[syn: womanhood, woman, fair sex]
3. the status of a woman;
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Womanhood \Wom"an*hood\, n.
1. The state of being a woman; the distinguishing character
or qualities of a woman, or of womankind.
[1913 Webster]
Unspotted faith, and comely womanhood. --Spenser.
[1913 Webster]
Perhaps the smile and the tender tone
Came out of her pitying womanhood. --Tennyson.
[1913 Webster]
2. Women, collectively; womankind.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
womanhood
n 1: the state of being an adult woman [syn: womanhood,
muliebrity]
2: women as a class; "it's an insult to American womanhood";
"woman is the glory of creation"; "the fair sex gathered on
the veranda" [syn: womanhood, woman, fair sex]
3: the status of a woman