What is the connotative and denotative meaning of woman?

Answer 1

The connotation of a word is the cultural meaning, or what it makes people in that culture think of; some words have a positive connotation and others a negative one, depending on the culture. But the denotative meaning is the dictionary meaning, and it is generally neutral. So, in this case: the dictionary would define "woman" as a member of the female sex (or gender), what a girl becomes as an adult.

But depending on the culture, some people associate "woman" with a variety of perspectives and opinions (and a few stereotypes too). In some cultures, the connotation of "woman" is quite negative-- certain cultures prefer boys rather than girls, and what a woman does is believed to be inferior to what a man does. But other cultures are more egalitarian and see a woman's abilities quite differently from what was believed a century ago. Thus, the connotation of the word "woman" depends on which culture is using it and whether that culture sees being female as a good thing or a bad thing.

And while opportunities and attitudes about women have certainly improved, there are still many examples of a negative connotation for the word "woman": for example, a number of hit songs speak of women as if they are all vain, self-centered, or empty-headed. There is also the persistent stereotype of women as "too emotional" for certain occupations, and certain male coaches still use "woman" (or "girl") as a synonym for being "weak" or a way to insult a male player who is seen as not tough enough.