stateswoman

American  

[steyts-woom-uhn] / ˈsteɪtsˌwʊm ən /

noun

• stateswomen
  plural

1. a woman who is experienced in the art of government.

2. a woman who exhibits great wisdom and ability in directing the affairs of a government.

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Gender

See -woman.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• stateswomen
  plural

Etymology

Origin of stateswoman

First recorded in 1600–10; states(man) + -woman

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stateswoman stateswomen

As a stateswoman, Meloni appears to have a seat at every table, almost a regular at the White House and recently the only woman leader to attend the signing of the Gaza ceasefire in Egypt.

From Barron's ● Oct. 20, 2025

At 36, she has completed the transition from wunderkind to elder stateswoman.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2025

The Grammys enlisted pop music's elder stateswoman to introduce Sam Smith, a nonbinary performer, and Kim Petras, a trans woman, on the occasion of their history-making Grammy win for their chart-topping duet "Unholy."

From Salon ● Feb. 17, 2023

The blame for that has been placed largely on her party’s uninspiring candidate, Armin Laschet, a state governor whose gaffes and chummy demeanor contrasted with Merkel’s image as a calm, professional stateswoman.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 29, 2021

Lady Marney was a distinguished "stateswoman," as they called Lady Carlisle in Charles the First's time, a great friend of Lady St Julians, and one of the most eminent and impassioned votaries of Dukism.

From Sybil, or the Two Nations by Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield

Althaus, the defending silver medalist from Germany, and Takanashi, the defending bronze medalist from Japan, are the elder stateswomen at age 25 in this young person’s game.

From New York Times ● Feb. 4, 2022

And against that backdrop, instead of a flexing of American might or a tidal wave of pomp, the world saw two stateswomen heading to breakfast.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 15, 2021

It features a conversation between Tavi Gevinson and Lorde, two elder stateswomen of the precocious teen-girl community.

From The New Yorker ● Apr. 7, 2017

Westminster Hall has long been reserved for those statesmen and stateswomen who have made a lasting and positive difference in the world.

From The Guardian ● Jan. 29, 2017

One day a sudden witticism of an orator upset the gravity of the listening stateswomen, and scandalized the Speaker.

From Social Transformations of the Victorian Age A Survey of Court and Country by T. H. S. (Thomas Hay Sweet) Escott