[f. WOMAN sb. + KIND sb. Cf. WOMENKIND.]
1. The female part of the human race; the female sex; women in general.
c. 1375. Cursor M., 9024 (Fairf.). For alle we come of womman kinde.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), II. 317. Pharao … heelde womman kynde ful feble to be rebel.
a. 1400. Prymer (1891), 21. Byseche for the deuowte wommankynde [Prymer (1895), 6 wommans kynde].
c. 1450. Bk. Curtasye, 259, in Babees Bk. Speke neuer vnhonestly of woman kynde.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, lxxxiv. 4. The foul delyte Off woman-kynd that dreidis for na schame.
1535. Coverdale, Lev. xviii. 22. Thou shalt not lye with mankynde as with womankynde.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., III. v. 52. In gentle Ladies brest, and bounteous race Of woman kind.
a. 1670. Hacket, Abp. Williams, II. (1692), 35. This man would suffer no woman-kind to do any service within his gates.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), III. 9. In womankind, I can love nothing but you.
1782. Cowper, Gilpin, v. I do admire Of womankind but one.
1822. Byron, Juan, VI. xxvii. My wish is … That womankind had but one rosy mouth, To kiss them all at once from North to South.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, VI. 290. The soft and milky rabble of womankind.
† b. appositively or predicatively: Female. Obs.
c. 1570. R. Coxe, Injunctions. Their chyldren and seruauntes both mankinde and womankinde.
1577. Bp. Aylmer, Articles to be enquired of, A 4 b. Any of his parish … eyther mankind or womankinde.
1614. R. Tailor, Hog hath lost Pearl, II. D 2 b. Did I but only know her to be woman kind, I thinke it were sufficient.
2. The women of a family, household, company, country, etc.; female relatives and friends (sometimes also servants); (one’s) women-folk.
1573. L. Lloyd, Pilgr. Princes (1586), 8. Agreeing that the womankinde should passe away that night.
1825. Southey, Lett. (1856), III. 518. My womankind join in kind regards.
1850. Thackeray, Pendennis, lvi. Pen, chafing under the persecution which his womankind had inflicted upon him.
1862. Kingston, Three Midshipmen, viii. All the womankind in and out of the house, for a long way round.
† 3. A female human being; a woman. Obs.
a. 1685. Warn. Married Women, xxviii. in Child, Ballads (1892), IV. 363/2. Since that time the woman-kind Was never seen no more.
1711. Acts & Laws Massachusetts (1724), 270. Whosoever shall be convicted of Assaulting … any Woman or Woman-kind.
1816. Scott, Antiq., ix. ‘Where’s the younger womankind?’… ‘Indeed, brother,… Maria … set away to the Halket Craig-head—I wonder ye didna see her.’
1823. Byron, in Trelawny, Shelley (1887), 213. If we had a womankind on board, she would set us all at loggerheads.
† 4. Womanhood. (Cf. MANKIND A. 2.) Obs. rare.
1549. Coverdale, etc., Erasm. Par. 1 Peter, iii. 7. Let your wisdome succour the frailtie of their womankynde.
