Woman

A woman is an adult female human. Before adulthood, a female child or adolescent is referred to as a girl.

Typically, women inherit a pair of X chromosomes, one from each parent. Sex differentiation of the female foetus is governed by the lack of a present functioning SRY gene on either one of the respective sex chromosomes. Female anatomy is distinguished from male anatomy by the female reproductive system, which includes the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, vagina, and vulva. A woman generally has a wider pelvis, broader hips, and larger breasts than a man. These characteristics can facilitate pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. Women typically have less facial and other body hair, have a higher body fat composition, and are on average shorter and less muscular than men. Women are at greater risk of certain diseases like breast cancer, and at lower risk of other diseases like lung cancer.

Transgender women were assigned male at birth. Some women are intersex, meaning they have unusual sex characteristics (chromosomes, genitalia or internal sex organs), such as trisomy X or vaginal atresia.

Throughout human history, patriarchal gender roles have often limited women's opportunities. With restrictions loosening during the 20th century in many societies, women have gained wider access to careers and education. Violence against women is primarily committed by men. Some women are denied reproductive rights and denied legal rights on the basis of sex. Many religions and governments stipulate certain rules for women. Feminist movements aim to achieve gender equality.

Etymology

The spelling of woman in English has progressed over the past millennium from wīfmann to wīmmann to wumman, and finally, the modern spelling woman. In Old English, mann had the gender-neutral meaning of 'human', akin to the Modern 'person' or 'someone'. The word for 'woman' was wīf or wīfmann (lit. 'woman-person') whereas 'man' was wer or wǣpnedmann (from wǣpn 'weapon; penis'). However, following the Norman Conquest, man began to mean 'male human', and by the late 13th century it had largely replaced wer. The consonants /f/ and /m/ in wīfmann coalesced into the modern woman, while wīf narrowed to specifically mean a married woman ('wife').

It is a popular misconception that the term "woman" is etymologically connected to "womb". "Womb" derives from the Old English word wamb meaning 'belly, uterus' (cognate to the modern German colloquial term "Wamme" from Old High German wamba for 'belly, paunch, lap').

Terminology

The word woman can be used generally, to mean any female human, or specifically, to mean an adult female human as contrasted with girl. The word girl originally meant "young person of either sex" in English; it was only around the beginning of the 16th century that it came to mean specifically a female child. The term girl is sometimes used colloquially to refer to a young or unmarried woman; however, during the early 1970s, feminists challenged such use because the use of the word to refer to a fully grown woman may cause offence. In particular, previously common terms such as office girl are no longer widely used. Conversely, in certain cultures which link family honour with female virginity, the word girl (or its equivalent in other languages) is still used to refer to a never-married woman; in this sense it is used in a fashion roughly analogous to the more-or-less obsolete English maid or maiden.

The social sciences' views on what it means to be a woman have changed significantly since the early 20th century as women gained more rights and greater representation in the workforce, with scholarship in the 1970s moving toward a focus on the sex–gender distinction and social construction of gender.

Different countries have different laws, but age 18 is frequently considered the age of majority (the age at which a person is legally considered an adult). Menarche, the onset of menstruation, occurs on average at age 12–13. Many cultures have rites of passage to symbolise a girl's coming of age, such as bat mitzvah in Judaism, or a custom of a special celebration for a certain birthday (generally between 12 and 21), like the quinceañera of Latin America.

Alternative spellings of woman, such as womyn and wimmin have been used in feminist contexts, especially since the 1970s.

Biology

Genetic characteristics

Typically, the cells of female humans contain two X chromosomes, while the cells of male humans have an X and a Y chromosome. During early foetal development, all embryos have phenotypically female genitalia up until week 6 or 7, when a male embryo's gonads differentiate into testes due to the action of the SRY gene on the Y chromosome. Sex differentiation proceeds in female humans in a way that is independent of gonadal hormones. Because humans inherit mitochondrial DNA only from the mother's ovum, genealogical researchers can trace maternal lineage far back in time.

Puberty, menstruation and menopause

Female puberty triggers many bodily changes. In response to chemical signals from the pituitary gland, the ovaries secrete hormones that stimulate maturation of the body, including increased height and weight, body hair growth, breast development and menarche (the onset of menstruation). Most girls go through menarche between ages 12–13.

Menstruation is a monthly hormonal cycle that involves the shedding of the lining of the uterus. Blood and tissue exit through the vagina. Menstrual cycles may be irregular at first, and usually become more regular by a woman's 20s. Most women are able to perform all their daily activities during menstruation, though some women experience symptoms ranging from uncomfortable to disabling or are prohibited from regular activity by strong social stigma.

The changes of puberty typically enable sexual reproduction. Pregnancy generally requires fertilisation of a woman's egg cells with a man's sperm cells. Humans are similar to other large mammals in that they usually give birth to a single offspring per pregnancy, but are unusual in being altricial, meaning young are undeveloped at time of birth and require the aid of their parents or guardians to fully mature. Sometimes humans have multiple births, most commonly twins.

Usually between ages 49–52, a woman reaches menopause, the time when menstrual periods stop permanently, and they are no longer able to bear children. Symptoms of menopause include hot flashes, night sweats, headaches, and more; both lifestyle changes and medications can help to mitigate these symptoms.

Morphological and physiological characteristics

In terms of biology, the female sex organs are involved in the reproductive system, whereas the secondary sex characteristics are involved in breastfeeding children and attracting a mate. Humans are placental mammals, which means the mother carries the foetus in the uterus and the placenta facilitates the exchange of nutrients and waste between the mother and foetus.

The internal female sex organs consist of: