[1700–10; trade + 's1 + -woman]This word is first recorded in the period 1700–10. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: cirrus, cozy, envelope, hump, marquise-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