A suffragette was a woman who fought for women's right to vote in the early 1900s, particularly in Britain and the United States. The word comes from suffrage, which means the right to vote in political elections.

These women recognized that half the population had no say in choosing leaders or making laws that affected their lives. They organized marches, gave speeches, and demanded change. Some suffragettes were arrested and jailed for their protests. In Britain, suffragettes chained themselves to railings, interrupted political meetings, and went on hunger strikes when imprisoned. American suffragettes like Susan B. Anthony and Alice Paul organized massive parades and picketed the White House.

The suffragettes' decades of determined work helped lead to women gaining voting rights in the United States in 1920 and in Britain in 1928. Their courage opened doors for future generations.

The similar word suffragist means anyone who supported voting rights for women, including men who joined the cause. Suffragette specifically refers to the women activists themselves, especially those who used bold, attention-getting tactics to make their voices heard when the law said they had no voice.