Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "zaɓaɓɓen" mace ce a cikin zaɓaɓɓu ko zaɓaɓɓu, kamar majalisar gari ko kwamiti. An kafa wannan kalma ta ƙara waƙa "-mace" zuwa kalmar "zaɓi," wanda ke nuna cewa mutum ya kasance mace a cikin zaɓaɓɓen rukuni. Ba kalmar gama-gari ba ce, kuma a wasu mahallin, ana iya maye gurbinta da kalmar “member” ko “wakili.”
