once a woman, twice a child

once a wo·man, twice a child
US, UK/ˌwʌn(t)s‿ə ˈwʊmən ˌtwaɪs‿ə ˈt͡ʃaɪld/

proverb

A woman is born as a child, grows to adulthood, and consequently enters old age, when she deteriorates and reverts to a childlike state.

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Meanings

proverb
  1. rareA woman is born as a child, grows to adulthood, and consequently enters old age, when she deteriorates and reverts to a childlike state.

Origin

From once a man, twice a child.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with once a woman, twice a child

childwildmildwildestyledpiledchildeguiledonce a man, twice a childvild
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Cite this entry
APA

once a woman, twice a child. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/once%20a%20woman%2C%20twice%20a%20child

MLA

“once a woman, twice a child.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/once%20a%20woman%2C%20twice%20a%20child. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “once a woman, twice a child,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/once%20a%20woman%2C%20twice%20a%20child.

Source: once a woman, twice a child on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.