Cambridge Dictionary Modifies Definitions Of “Man” & “Woman”

The definitions of “man” and “woman” in the Cambridge Dictionary have been modified to encompass everyone, regardless of their gender at birth.

A “woman” is defined as “an adult who lives and identifies as female though they may have been said to have a different sex at birth,” while the updated definition of “man” reads “an adult who lives and identifies as a male though they may have been said to have a different sex at birth”.

The prior definition, which refers to a woman as an “adult female human being,” still stands.

The Cambridge Dictionary gives examples of the same, stating that “She was the first trans woman elected to a national office” for a woman.

“This was added by our editors to the definition of woman in October. They conducted a thorough analysis of the word’s usage patterns and came to the conclusion that English language learners should be familiar with this meaning in order to better comprehend how the language is used. The initial definition of the entry for a woman is still “an adult female human being,” as it always has been,” a Cambridge Dictionary spokesperson informed.

The modifications, which were made in October, are currently being panned online. Netizens criticised the Cambridge Dictionary for the change.