A woman is a female human, in contrast to an adult male, who is a man.

The term woman (irregular plural: women) is usually used for an adult, with the term girl being the usual term for a female child or adolescent. However, the term is also sometimes used for a female human regardless of age, as in phrases like "women's rights".

Etymology

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The English term "man" (from Proto-Germanic mannaz "man, person") and words derived therefrom can designate any or even all of the human race regardless of their gender or age. This is indeed the oldest usage of "man". In Old English the words wer and wyf (also wæpman and wifman) were what was used to refer to "a man" and "a woman" respectively, and "man" was gender neutral. In Middle English man displaced wer as term for "male human", whilst wyfman (which eventually evolved into woman) was retained for "female human". "Man" does continue to carry its original sense of "Human" however, resulting in an asymmetry sometimes criticized as sexist. ^* (See also Womyn.) The symbol for the planet Venus is the sign also known in biology for the female sex: a stylized representation of the goddess Venus's hand mirror: a circle with a small cross underneath (Unicode: ♀). The Venus symbol also represented femininity, and in ancient alchemy stood for copper. Alchemists constructed the symbol from a circle (representing spirit) above a cross (representing matter).

Terminology

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The English language's original word for "woman" was Old English wīf, akin to German Weib; it later became the modern word "wife." The modern word "woman" etymologically derives from wīfmann, with the addition of mann, "person", from Germanic mannaz. This formation is peculiar to English. The equivalents for "man" in Old English were wer (a cognate of Latin vir, "man") and wǣpnedmann, literally "weaponed person". As previously mentioned, the term man continues to carry its original sense of "Human", though this usage results in an asymmetry which is sometimes criticized as sexist. The word girl originally meant "young person of either sex"; it was only around the beginning of the 16th century that it came to mean specifically a female child. Nowadays girl is also often used colloquially to refer to a young or unmarried woman. Since the early 1970s, feminists have challenged such usage, and today, using the word in the workplace (as in office girl) is typically considered inappropriate in the United States and United Kingdom because it implies a view of women as infantile. The use remains commonplace in several other English-speaking countries. Conversely, in certain non-Western cultures which link family honor with female virginity, the word girl is still used to refer to a never-married woman; in this sense it is used in a fashion roughly analogous to the obsolete English maid or maiden. Referring to an unmarried female as woman can, in such a culture, imply that she is sexually experienced, which would be an insult to her family. In more informal settings, the use of girl to refer to an adult female is also common practice in certain usage (such as girls' night out), even among elderly women. In this sense, girl may be considered to be the analogue to the British word bloke for a man. Some regard non-parallel usages, such as men and girls, as sexist. A number of other derogatory terms for women are also in common usage. There are various words used to refer to the quality of being a woman. The term "womanhood" merely means the state of being a woman; "femininity" is used to refer to a set of supposedly typical female qualities associated with a certain attitude to gender roles; "womanliness" is like "femininity", but is usually associated with a different view of gender roles; "femaleness" is a general term, but is often used as shorthand for "human femaleness"; "distaff" is an archaic adjective derived from women's conventional role as a spinner, now used only as a deliberate archaism; "muliebrity" is a "neologism" (derived from the Latin) meant to provide a female counterpart of "virility", but used very loosely, sometimes to mean merely "womanhood", sometimes "femininity", and sometimes even as a collective term for women.

More on [ Woman ]

USATODAY.com Womens College Basketball - Top Stories

Griner's triple-double ignites No. 5 Baylor over Oral Roberts
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:22:45 -0000
Brittney Griner had the first triple-double in Baylor history and set a Big 12 record with 11 blocks in No. 5 Baylor's 101-76 ...
Missouri players reinstated after cheerleader fight incident
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:27:57 -0000
The two Missouri women's basketball players suspended after an off-campus fight with a male cheerleader are back on the team. ...
Three-pointers rain down as No. 3 Tennessee tops Louisville
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:17:16 -0000
Angie Bjorklund scored 19 points, all but four on three-pointers, and No. 3 Tennessee beat Louisville 86-56 on Wednesday night.
Missouri players won't be charged in cheerleader fight
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:43:06 -0000
Two Missouri women's basketball players suspended after an off-campus fight will not face criminal charges for allegedly beating ...
Big Ten believes 'timing is right' for conference to explore expansion
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:32:04 -0000
The Big Ten says it plans to make an announcement regarding the possibility of expanding the 11-team conference. Big Ten spokesman ...
No. 2 Stanford begins 3-game gauntlet by beating No. 8 Duke
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 06:30:08 -0000
Kayla Pedersen had 22 points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots and No. 2 Stanford extended its winning streak at Maples Pavilion ...

North Carolina Women's Tennis news

Carolina Women's Tennis Signs Two
Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:13:02 -0500
Tessa Lyons of Wallingford, Pa., and Laura Slater of Frimley, England, have signed National Letters of Intent to play tennis at the University of North Carolina, head coach Brian Kalbas announced Tuesday.
Tar Heels Wrap Up Fall At Kitty Harrison
Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:12:36 -0500
A second-place doubles finish by sophomores Haley Hemm and Jocelyn Ffriend capped play for North Carolina on the final day of the Kitty Harrison Invitational Sunday at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. Hemm and Ffriend defeated Virginia Tech's Shannon Betts and Christin Newman, 8-2, at the top position to claim three points in the doubles competition.
Heels Continue Play At Kitty Harrison Invitational
Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:17:39 -0500
Katrina Tsang and Shinann Featherston's two doubles victories highlighted play for North Carolina on day two of the Kitty Harrison Invitational at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center. The No. 18 nationally ranked duo scored wins over Sandhya Nagaraj and Berkeley Brock of NC State and Lauren Embree and Ana Revzina of Florida.

North Carolina Women's Soccer news

Engen & Heath Lead Eight ACC Performers On NSCAA All-America Team
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:55:06 -0500
Four Atlantic Coast Conference women's soccer players - including Tobin Heath and Whitney Engen from back-to-back national champion North Carolina - have been named 2009 first-team All-America by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Engen, Heath & Nogueira Named Soccer America MVPs
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 16:13:36 -0500
Two Tar Heels Named Finalists For Honda Award In Women's SoccerEngen & Heath Lead Eight ACC Performers On NSCAA All-America TeamNorth Carolina's Heath Among MAC Hermann Trophy FinalistsCarolina Blanks Stanford To Claim Its 21st Women's Soccer TitleTarpley Named ESPN Rise Girls Soccer High School Player of the DecadeESPN Rise All-Decade Girls Soccer Team Features Four Tar Heels UNC's Eveland Captures NCAA's Elite 88 AwardFollow UNC Women's Soccer On TwitterSeven seniors, including defender Whitney Engen and midfielder Tobin Heath of national champion North Carolina, head the 2009 Soccer America MVPs first team. At least one Tar Heel has been named to the Soccer America MVPs since they were introduced in 1988. The Soccer America MVPs are the equivalent of the magazine's All-America Team.
Two Tar Heels Named Finalists For Honda Award In Women's Soccer
Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:08:02 -0500
College Soccer 360.com College Cup Press Conference CoverageNorth Carolina's Heath Among MAC Hermann Trophy FinalistsCarolina Blanks Stanford To Claim Its 21st Women's Soccer TitleTarpley Named ESPN Rise Girls Soccer High School Player of the DecadeESPN Rise All-Decade Girls Soccer Team Features Four Tar Heels UNC's Eveland Captures NCAA's Elite 88 AwardFollow UNC Women's Soccer On TwitterTwo seniors from the University of North Carolina's NCAA championship women's soccer team, defender Whitney Engen and midfielder Tobin Heath, were named Monday as two of the four finalists for the women's soccer award as part of the annual Collegiate Women Sports Award sponsored by Honda. Balloting is being conducted this week and the winner will be announced Friday.

North Carolina Women's Lacrosse news

Mia Hamm Visits With The Tar Heels
Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:02:48 -0500
Winter Newsletter Now Available (.pdf)Tar Heels To Face Challenging Schedule In 20102010 Schedule (.pdf)Follow Carolina Women's Lacrosse On TwitterRegister For Winter Camp (Dec. 18-20, 2009)Former University of North Carolina and Team USA women's soccer star Mia Hamm stopped by one of the Tar Heel women's lacrosse team's fall practices recently, visiting with the 2010 squad and providing a highlight for the team's players and coaches.
Tar Heels To Face Challenging 2010 Schedule
Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:14:37 -0500
2010 Schedule (.pdf)Follow Carolina Women's Lacrosse On TwitterRegister For Winter Camp (Dec. 18-20, 2009)Download Carolina's 2009 Summer Newsletter (.pdf)University of North Carolina women's lacrosse coach Jenny Levy released her squad's 2010 schedule on Monday, and the slate once again is among the nation's most challenging. The schedule features seven opponents who earned bids to the 2009 NCAA Tournament, including five-time defending national champion Northwestern, Georgetown, Penn, Vanderbilt and Atlantic Coast Conference rivals Duke, Maryland and Virginia.
Newton, Kristen Taylor Earn Spots On IWLCA Academic Team
Sat, 05 Sep 2009 01:08:48 -0500
Russell, Carr, Fitzgerald Named To U.S. Developmental TeamVote For Falcone In Inside Lacrosse LaxiesRegister For Winter Camp (Dec. 18-20, 2009)Download Carolina's 2009 Summer Newsletter (.pdf)Four Tar Heels Named To Academic All-ACC Team Download & Watch 2009 Season Review Slideshow2009 Carolina Season Review In Brief (.pdf)University of North Carolina women's lacrosse players Kristen Taylor and Meredith Newton both earned spots on the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Academic Squad, released this week by the IWLCA.

North Carolina Women's Basketball news

No. 11 Tar Heels Down Gardner-Webb, 81-65
Sun, 13 Dec 2009 18:10:34 -0500
Thinning The RotationPhoto GalleryCetera DeGraffenreid had 19 points and Italee Lucas added 18, leading No. 11 North Carolina past Gardner-Webb 81-65 on Sunday. Dominique Hudson led Gardner-Webb (8-2), which had a school-record, eight-game Division I winning streak snapped, with 17 points in the schools' first meeting. North Carolina (8-1) shot 41.2 percent for the game to 32.8 for the Bulldogs, and finished with a 47-44 rebound advantage and committed 24 turnovers to the visitors' 27.
No. 11 Tar Heels Host Gardner-Webb Sunday
Sat, 12 Dec 2009 11:52:22 -0500
Watch Live on Carolina All-AccessBuy Tickets Now!North Carolina (7-1) plays its final pre-Christmas home game Sunday when the Tar Heels host in-state foe Gardner-Webb at 3 p.m. at the Dean E. Smith Center. Carolina defeated Radford on Tuesday night, 74-48, while Gardner-Webb is coming off its eighth straight win Dec. 5 against East Carolina. Carolina is ranked No. 11 in both the AP poll and the coaches' poll. Gardner-Webb is receiving votes in the coaches' poll.
No. 11 Tar Heels Shoot Season High In Rout of Radford
Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:35:36 -0500
Photo GalleryBrownlow: Getting To The PointFollow UNC Women's Basketball on TwitterCetera DeGraffenreid scored 15 points to help No. 11 North Carolina beat Radford 74-48 on Tuesday night. Italee Lucas and Waltiea Rolle added 11 points apiece for the Tar Heels (7-1), who shot a season-high 56.6 percent from the floor.

North Carolina Women's Golf news

Incoming Golfer Named N.C. Junior Player Of The Year
Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:56:18 -0500
Katherine Perry, who will be a freshman on the University of North Carolina women's golf team this fall, was selected the 2009 Girls N.C. Junior Player of the Year by the Carolinas Golf Association and the Tar Heel Youth Golf Association. She was also named to the 2009 N.C. Girls' All-State Golf First Team.
UNC Women's Golf Team Inks Three Recruits
Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:28:04 -0500
North Carolina women's golf coach Jan Mann announced the signing of Jackie Chang, Casey Grice and Katherine Perry, who will join the Tar Heel team in the fall of 2010. "We are excited to have Casey, Jackie and Katherine joining our Carolina women's golf program in the fall of 2010," says Tar Heel head coach Jan Mann.
Tar Heels Close Fall Season With Tie At 11th
Sun, 25 Oct 2009 15:07:39 -0500
Complete Results The University of North Carolina women's golf team shot 912 over the weekend to finish play at the NCAA Fall Preview. The Heels tied for 11th place alongside Georgia and LSU to end their fall season. Senior Kate Thomas, of Murwillumbah, Australia, led the Carolina squad with a seven-over 223 for the tournament.

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