Distaff

Quick meaning: Distaff is a noun meaning The part of a spinning wheel from which fibre is drawn to be spun.

Meaning

The part of a spinning wheel from which fibre is drawn to be spun.

More Meanings

1. Anything traditionally done by or considered of importance to women only.
2. A race for female horses only.
3. (also collective) A woman, or women considered as a group.
4. Of, relating to, or characteristic of women.
5. Of the maternal side of a family.
6. A device to which a bundle of natural fibres (often wool, flax, or cotton) are attached for temporary storage, before being drawn off gradually to spin thread. A traditional distaff is a staff with flax fibres tied loosely to it (as indicated by the etymology of the word), but modern distaffs are often made of cords weighted with beads, and attached to the wrist.

Example Sentences

I muſt change armes at home, and giue the diſtaffe Into my Husbands hands, […]

Henry knew. If he were blackballed by this distaff Mafia, he was doomed: Endless, but always justifiable, delays would occur in the work he wanted typed.

Lord Robert Walsingham de Vere St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral— […] They inherit Plantagenet blood by direct descent, and Tudor on the distaff side.

Then hadſt thou had an excellent head of haire. […] Excellent, it hangs like flax on a diſtaffe: & I hope to ſee a huſwife take thee between her legs, & ſpin it off.

Word Forms

• distaffs
• distaves
• distaffe

Synonyms for distaff

Depending on context, synonyms include female, maternal, feminine.

Antonyms for distaff

Common opposites include male, paternal, spear.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include female, feminine, rock, fiber, string, staple.

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