Distaff

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

Adjective

 * of, relating to, or characteristic of women
 * 1) referring to the maternal side of a family

Synonyms

 * (of, relating to, or characteristic of women): female, maternal

Antonyms

 * (of, relating to, or characteristic of women): male, paternal

Translations

 * Bulgarian:
 * Icelandic: kven-


 * Russian:
 * Swedish: spinn-

Derived terms

 * distaff side

Noun

 * 1) 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) the part of a spinning wheel from which fibre is drawn to be spun
 * 3) anything traditionally done by or considered of importance to women only
 * 4) women considered as a group

Translations

 * Bulgarian: хурка
 * Dutch: rokken, spinrokken , spinstok
 * French:


 * Greek: ρόκα
 * Spanish: rueca
 * Swedish: slända, spinnrockshuvud


 * Bulgarian: женска работа


 * Swedish: kvinnogöra

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