policewoman

policewoman — noun

1. a woman whose job is to work as a police officer and help keep public order.

1.nounA2
Definition

a woman whose job is to work as a police officer and help keep public order.

Example

The policewoman stopped traffic while the children crossed the street.

typical duty: control traffic

A policewoman came to our apartment after Dad reported a stolen bike.

pattern: a policewoman came after a report

Common collocations
  • uniformed policewoman
  • off-duty policewoman
  • work as a policewoman
  • call a policewoman over
Synonyms
  • police officer

    gender-neutral and more common in many formal contexts

  • officer

    shorter form often used when the police role is already clear

  • cop

    informal and more common in speech or headlines

Grammar Patterns

a policewoman

the policewoman

work as a policewoman

Common Mistakes

My aunt works as policewoman in Kaohsiung.
My aunt works as a policewoman in Kaohsiung.
use an article before this countable noun.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Policewoman means a woman who works in the police, but many speakers now choose police officer because it is gender-neutral and fits both men and women. Cop is much more informal and is common in speech, films, and headlines, so it can sound too casual in careful writing. Constable is mainly British and often refers to a particular police title or rank, so it is not always an exact match. Use policewoman when the fact that the officer is a woman matters in the context. In many modern situations, police officer is the safer default: 'A police officer checked our bags.' In a story, you might write: 'The policewoman led the child back to her parents.'

policewoman ↗police officercop ↗constable ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • uniformed policewoman
  • off-duty policewoman

Phrases

  • work as a policewoman
  • call a policewoman over

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

Policewoman is a modern English compound made from police and woman. Police came into English through French from Latin, with older roots in Greek words connected with city life and government. Woman is an old native English word. The compound simply developed as a name for a woman serving in the police force.