[1580–90; wash + -woman]This word is first recorded in the period 1580–90. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: cockpit, filibuster, humanist, motor, piggyback-woman is a combining form, used in the formation of compound words indicating a woman ofa certain type or with a certain job. Other words that use the affix -woman include: chairwoman, forewoman, spokeswoman