Servicewomen

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Individuals in the armed forces who identify as female and serve in various capacities supporting military operations
2. Female personnel in military roles who perform duties related to defense and security
3. Women serving in the military who contribute to operational effectiveness across different branches and functions

Etymology: Servicewomen is a plain compound: "service" plus "women," the plural of "woman." The first element comes from Latin "servitium," meaning slavery or service, and reached English through Old French. The second is an ordinary Old English word, "wifmann," which became "woman" over time, with its plural "women" keeping an older vowel sound. The compound follows the same pattern as "servicemen," with the plural of "woman" placed after "service" in the way that "chairwomen" or "policewomen" are formed. The word is used for women serving in the armed forces and in similar defense and security roles.

Synonyms: female soldiers, female servicemembers, women in uniform, female military personnel, female troops

Antonyms: male servicemen, male soldiers