distaff

distaff
\ \ [OE] The compound noun distaffrod for holding flax, wool, etc in spinning’ was a late Old English formation from *disbunch of flax’ (a word which survives in bedizen [17], a derivative of the obsolete dizen, which originally meant ‘put flax on to a rod’ and hence ‘dress up in finery’) and staff. The now fairly archaic use of phrases such as distaff side to refer to ‘women’ comes from the traditional pigeonholing of spinning as a woman’s job.
\ \ Cf.BEDIZEN

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Distaff — Dis taff, n.; pl. {Distaffs}, rarely {Distaves}. [OE. distaf, dysestafe, AS. distaef; cf. LG. diesse the bunch of flax on a distaff, and E. dizen. See {Staff}.] 1. The staff for holding a bunch of flax, tow, or wool, from which the thread is… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • distaff — O.E. distæf stick that holds flax for spinning, from dis bunch of flax (Cf. M.L.G. dise, Low Ger. diesse a bunch of flax on a distaff; see BEDIZEN (Cf. bedizen)) + stæf stick, staff (see STAFF (Cf. staff)). A synonym in English for …   Etymology dictionary

  • distaff — ► NOUN 1) a stick or spindle on to which wool or flax is wound for spinning. 2) (before another noun ) denoting the female side or members of a family. Compare with SPEAR(Cf. ↑spear) (in sense 3). ORIGIN Old English …   English terms dictionary

  • distaff — [dis′taf΄] n. [ME distaf < OE distæf < dis , flax (see DIZEN) + stæf, STAFF1] 1. a staff on which fibers, as flax or wool, are wound before being spun into thread 2. woman s work or concerns 3. Archaic woman, or women in general adj …   English World dictionary

  • Distaff — Queen Berthe instructing girls to spin flax on spindles using distaffs, Albert Anker, 1888 …   Wikipedia

  • distaff — /dis taf, tahf/, n. 1. a staff with a cleft end for holding wool, flax, etc., from which the thread is drawn in spinning by hand. 2. a similar attachment on a spinning wheel. 3. Archaic. a. a woman or women collectively. b. woman s work. adj. 4.… …   Universalium

  • distaff — UK [ˈdɪstɑːf] / US [ˈdɪˌstæf] noun [countable] Word forms distaff : singular distaff plural distaffs a small stick used in the past for winding wool around when spinning • on the distaff side …   English dictionary

  • distaff — I. noun (plural distaffs) Etymology: Middle English distaf, from Old English distæf, from dis (akin to Middle Low German dise bunch of flax) + stæf staff Date: before 12th century 1. a. a staff for holding the flax, tow, or wool in spinning b.… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • distaff — [OE] The compound noun distaff ‘rod for holding flax, wool, etc in spinning’ was a late Old English formation from *dis ‘bunch of flax’ (a word which survives in bedizen [17], a derivative of the obsolete dizen, which originally meant ‘put flax… …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • distaff — [ dɪstα:f] noun 1》 a stick or spindle on to which wool or flax is wound for spinning. 2》 [as modifier] denoting or concerning women: a family tree on the distaff side. Compare with spear (in sense 3). Origin OE distæf: the first element is appar …   English new terms dictionary

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