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Word Study
distaff
OXFORD DICTIONARY
distaff, n.
1 a a cleft stick holding wool or flax wound for spinning by hand. b the corresponding part of a spinning-wheel.
2 women's work.
1 a a cleft stick holding wool or flax wound for spinning by hand. b the corresponding part of a spinning-wheel.
2 women's work.
Idiom
distaff side the female branch of a family.
Etymology
OE dist{aelig}f (as STAFF(1)), the first element being app. rel. to LG diesse, MLG dise(ne) bunch of flax
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