Penwomen

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A female writer who produces literary works, particularly in the realm of fiction or poetry
2. A woman who engages in writing as a profession or hobby, often contributing to various genres and forms
3. A woman known for her authorship or literary contributions, impacting cultural or artistic discourse in various ways

Etymology: "Penwomen" is the plural of "penwoman," a compound of "pen" and "woman." The pairing is plain: "pen" in the sense of a writer's instrument, and "woman," so the word names a woman who writes. The construction follows the older pattern of "penman," a writer or copyist, with the female noun added to mark the sex of the writer. The word is useful mainly because it sits within a broader English habit of gendering occupational nouns. Where "penman" once covered anyone who wrote for a living, "penwoman" made the female case explicit, which was a common need when women writers were a visible but often separately labelled group.

Synonyms: female writers, authoresses

Antonyms: penmen