What does Distaff mean?

Definitions for Distaff
ˈdɪs tæf, -tɑfdistaff

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word Distaff.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. distaffnoun

    the sphere of work by women

  2. distaffadjective

    the staff on which wool or flax is wound before spinning

  3. female, distaffadjective

    characteristic of or peculiar to a woman

    "female sensitiveness"; "female suffrage"

Wiktionary

  1. distaffnoun

    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 (see Etymology), but modern distaffs are often made of cords weighted with beads, and attached to the wrist.

  2. distaffnoun

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

  3. distaffnoun

    anything traditionally done by or considered of importance to women only

  4. distaffnoun

    women considered as a group

  5. distaffadjective

    of, relating to, or characteristic of women

  6. distaffadjective

    referring to the maternal side of a family

  7. Etymology: From distaf, from distæf, from dis- cognate with Middle Low German dise + stæf.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Distaffnoun

    Etymology: distæf, Saxon.

    In sum, proud Boreas never ruled fleet,
    Who Neptune’s web on danger’s distaff spins,
    With greater power than she did make them wend
    Each way, as she that ages praise did bend. Philip Sidney.

    Weave thou to end this web which I begin;
    I will the distaff hold, come thou and spin. Edward Fairfax, b. iv.

    Ran Coll our dog, and Talbot with the band,
    And Malkin with her distaff in her hand. Dryden.

    In my civil government some say the crosier, some say the distaff was too busy. James Howell, England’s Tears.

    See my royal master murder’d,
    His crown usurp’d, a distaff in the throne. Dryden.

Wikipedia

  1. Distaff

    A distaff (, , also called a rock), is a tool used in spinning. It is designed to hold the unspun fibers, keeping them untangled and thus easing the spinning process. It is most commonly used to hold flax and sometimes wool, but can be used for any type of fibre. Fiber is wrapped around the distaff and tied in place with a piece of ribbon or string. The word comes from Low German dis, meaning a bunch of flax, connected with staff. As an adjective, the term distaff is used to describe the female side of a family. The corresponding term for the male side of a family is the "spear" side.

ChatGPT

  1. distaff

    A distaff is a tool traditionally used in spinning to hold and manage unspun fibers, keeping them untangled and easy to access. It is often associated with women, as spinning was typically a female task in the past. In a broader sense, the term "distaff" is also used to denote the female side or maternal branch of a family.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Distaffnoun

    the staff for holding a bunch of flax, tow, or wool, from which the thread is drawn in spinning by hand

  2. Distaffnoun

    used as a symbol of the holder of a distaff; hence, a woman; women, collectively

  3. Etymology: [OE. distaf, dysestafe, AS. distaef; cf. LG. diesse the bunch of flax on a distaff, and E. dizen. See Staff.]

Wikidata

  1. Distaff

    As a noun, a distaff is a tool used in spinning. It is designed to hold the unspun fibers, keeping them untangled and thus easing the spinning process. It is most commonly used to hold flax, and sometimes wool, but can be used for any type of fiber. Fiber is wrapped around the distaff, and tied in place with a piece of ribbon or string. The word comes from dis in Low German, meaning a bunch of flax, connected with staff. As an adjective the term distaff is used to describe the female side of a family.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Distaff

    dis′taf, n. the stick which holds the bunch of flax, tow, or wool in spinning.—Distaff side, the female part of a family. [A.S. distæf, from dise = Low Ger. diesse, the bunch of flax on the staff; and stæf = Eng. staff. See Dizen.]

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of Distaff in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of Distaff in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Popularity rank by frequency of use

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Translations for Distaff

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"Distaff." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/Distaff>.

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