Rio Ferdinand has been given a week to decide how to respond to a Football Association misconduct charge for sending an allegedly abusive tweet.

The former England captain posted a message on the social networking site on September 1 in which he used the word 'sket'.

According to the Collins English Dictionary, a 'sket' is "a promiscuous girl or woman". In south Wales, it can also mean to splash with water.

Ferdinand had posted in response to a fellow Twitter user who suggested his new club QPR should recruit a new defender.

Ferdinand responded: "@ManCunian56: @rioferdy5 @matiousmarston Maybe QPR will sign a good CB they need one" > get ya mum in, plays the field well son! #sket"

The 35-year-old QPR defender has until October 21 to respond to the charge, which was announced on Tuesday, in a disciplinary case which could have numerous repercussions.

Ferdinand, who made 81 appearances for England, the last in June 2011, has been a member of FA chairman Greg Dyke's commission looking at how to improve English football.

He was also considered by the FA as a possible candidate for a FIFA vice-president until David Gill, formerly United's chief executive, opted to stand.

Ferdinand, who has 5.9million followers on Twitter, has sent more than 14,000 tweets on the website and has been a pundit for the BBC and BT Sport.

An FA statement read: "It is alleged the comment posted on his twitter account was abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting and/or improper.

"It is further alleged that this breach is aggravated pursuant to FA rule E3(2) as it included a reference to gender.

"The player has until Tuesday, October 21 2014 to respond to the charge."