woman's

A woman's character

Is it

1: a character
2: a woman
3: could be either, depending on context

?

Depending on the context it could be part of a description, however imprecise, of women in general - generic qualities of the gender called "woman". Or, it could be describing a man who has such characteristics. Not sure if it would be used to desribe anything else.

Milky wrote:

Depending on the context it could be part of a description, however imprecise, of women in general - generic qualities of the gender called "woman". Or, it could be describing a man who has such characteristics. Not sure if it would be used to desribe anything else.

Good!

So if a non-specific countable noun in the possesive form is used as a 'generic qualifier', it doesn't need to have the indefinite article 'a/an' in front?

(By the way, did you mean to say  'it could be describing a woman who has such characteristics'?)

Perhaps:

1. MrQ has a woman's character.

— MrQ behaves like a woman.

2. MrQ is a woman's character.

— The fictional character MrQ was devised by a woman.

3. A woman's character is revealed by the shape of her ears.

— The character of a woman is revealed by the shape of her ears.

MrP