distaff
- Adjective. of, relating to, or characteristic of women.
- Adjective. referring to the maternal side of a family.
- Noun. 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.
- Noun. the part of a spinning wheel from which fibre is drawn to be spun.
- Noun. anything traditionally done by or considered of importance to women only.
- Noun. women considered as a group.
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This entry was last updated on RefTopia from its source on 3/20/2012.