stateswoman

[steyts-woom-uhn]

noun

plural

stateswomen 

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.

Gender Note

See -woman.

Word History and Origins

Origin of stateswoman¹

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

Example Sentences

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.

Read more on Barron's

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

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“Women can be both wives and mothers and also stateswomen,” she continued.

Read more on Salon

At 39, Noecker considers herself the “senior stateswoman” of the group, and that’s a good thing, she said: “That means we don’t have this backlog or baggage of institutional memory holding us down.”

Read more on Seattle Times

This marked the beginning of the startling second act of Jackson’s musical career, as she became — among a certain set — an elder stateswoman of grungy thrash guitar.

Read more on New York Times