distaff

¹dis·taff

noun \ˈdis-ˌtaf\

plural distaffs\-ˌtafs, -ˌtavz\

Definition of DISTAFF

1

a : a staff for holding the flax, tow, or wool in spinning b : woman's work or domain

2

: the female branch or side of a family

Illustration of DISTAFF

Origin of DISTAFF

Middle English distaf, from Old English distæf, from dis- (akin to Middle Low German dise bunch of flax) + stæf staff

First Known Use: before 12th century

Other Anthropology Terms

ectomorph, ethnography, prehistory, yurt

Rhymes with DISTAFF

agrafe, bar graph, behalf, carafe, chiffchaff, cowlstaff, digraph, Falstaff, flagstaff, Flagstaff, giraffe, half-staff, horselaugh, kenaf, line graph, mooncalf, paraph, pikestaff, riffraff, tipstaff