mulier

A New Latin Dictionary by Charlton T. Lewis Ph.D. and Charles Short, LL. D.

mŭlĭer, ĕris, f. [mollior, comp. of mollis, q. v.], a woman, a female, whether married or not.

I Lit.

A In gen., Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 36: mulieres omnes propter infirmitatem consilii, majores in tutorum potestate esse voluerunt, Cic. Mur. 12, 27; of a virgin, id. Verr. 2, 1, 25, § 64: mulieres omnes dicuntur, quaecumque sexūs feminini sunt, Dig. 34, 2, 26: nil non permittit mulier sibi, Juv. 6, 457.—

B In partic., a wife , opp. to a maid: ecqua virgo sit aut mulier digna, etc., Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 24, § 63: Cicero objurgantibus, quod sexagenarius Publiliam virginem duxisset, "cras mulier erit" inquit, Quint. 6, 3, 75: si virgo fuit primo, postea mulier, Lact. 1, 17, 8 al.: pudica mulier, Hor. Epod. 2, 39; Suet. Vit. 2; Inscr. Orell. 4661.—

II Transf., as a term of reproach, a woman , i. e. a coward, poltroon : non me arbitratur militem, sed mulierem, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 8, 4.

Related Words