Distaff Definition

dĭstăf
noun
A staff on which fibers, as flax or wool, are wound before being spun into thread.
Webster's New World
An attachment for a spinning wheel that serves this purpose.
American Heritage
Woman's work or concerns.
Webster's New World
Woman, or women in general.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
adjective
Of or relating to women and girls; female.
American Heritage
Female; specif., designating the maternal side of a family.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:

Other Word Forms of Distaff

Noun

Singular:
distaff
Plural:
distaffs

Origin of Distaff

  • From Middle English distaf, from Old English distæf (“distaff”), from Old English *dis (cognate with Middle Low German dise (“bunch of flax”)) + Old English stæf (“staff”).

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English distaf from Old English distæf dis- bunch of flax Middle Dutch disen to prepare a distaff with flax dizen stæf staff

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

Distaff Sentence Examples

  • It represented the goddess, standing in the stiff archaic style, holding a spear in her right hand, in her left a distaff and spindle or a shield.

  • In his sanctuary on the Quirinal, the foundation of which was celebrated on the 5th of June, there were shown the distaff and spindle of Tanaquil, the wife of Tarquinius Priscus, and in the, eyes of Roman matrons the embodiment of all wifely virtues.

  • It remains uncertain whether a small Madonna with distaff and spindle, which the correspondent of Isabella Gonzaga reports Leonardo as having begun for one Robertet, a favourite of the king of France, was ever finished.

  • The woman kneeling at Michael's feet holds a distaff and a white garment, which she holds out as an offering.

  • Before the introduction of machinery applicable to the spinning of silk waste, the refuse from cocoon reeling, and also from silk winding, which is now used in producing spun silk fabrics, hosiery, &c., was nearly all destroyed as being useless, with the exception of that which could be hand-combed and spun by means of the distaff and spinning wheel, a method which is still practised by some of the peasantry in India and other Eastern countries.

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Words Starting With

DDIDIS

Words Ending With

FFFAFF

Unscrambles

distaff

Words Starting With D and Ending With F

Starts With D & Ends With FStarts With DI & Ends With FStarts With D & Ends With FF

Word Length

7 Letter Words7 Letter Words Starting With D7 Letter Words Ending With F