chairwoman

[chair-woom-uhn]

noun

plural

chairwomen 

1. a woman who presides over a meeting, committee, department, etc.

Gender Note

Is it chairman , chairwoman, or chairperson? See chairperson.

Word History and Origins

Origin of chairwoman¹

First recorded in 1690–1700; chair + woman

Example Sentences

Jo Armstrong, chairwoman of the Accounts Commission, said culture and leisure services were "vital" to health and wellbeing and called for gaps in national data to be addressed.

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Dame Meg Hillier, chairwoman of the Commons treasury committee, said "we need to have answers" to ensure taxpayers' money was not being misspent.

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At the council meeting, Rosemary Thew, chairwoman of the parish council, said the application should be rejected to "send a clear message that planning processes must be adhered to".

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Paula Dodds, chairwoman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, described being a firearms officer in London as "one of the world's toughest jobs".

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The chairwoman also levelled criticism at Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who pledged to scrap the UK's landmark climate change legislation and replace it with a strategy for "cheap and reliable" energy.

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Related Words

• administrator 
• chairperson 
• director 
• leader 
• spokesman