wommanhede

Middle English

Alternative forms

• wommanhed, womanhede, whommanhede, whommanhed, wommonhede, wommonhed, womonhede, womonhed, wommanhod, wommanhode, whomanhod, whomanhode, wymmenhod, wymmenhode, wommanhiede

Etymology

From womman +‎ -hede.

Noun

wommanhede (uncountable)

1. The state of being a woman; womanhood.
2. The female sex in general.
3. The traits or qualities characteristic of women; femininity, womanliness.
4. (by extension) In men: effeminacy.
5. (with possessive determiner) A general honorific title for a woman.
   • John Lydgate, Troy Book

     Ne did servise to ȝoure wommanhed.

Related terms

• manhede
• womman
• wommankin
• wommankynde
• wommanles
• wommanly
• wommanyssh

 

Descendants

• English: womanhood; womanhead

References

• “wommanhed(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 6 April 2018.