spinster
English edit
Etymology edit
From Middle English spynnestere (“woman who spins fibre”), from c. 1350; equivalent to spin + -ster. The semantic development is from a historical notion of unmarried women spinning thread for a living.
Pronunciation edit
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈspɪnstə/
Audio (Southern England) (file)
- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈspɪnstɚ/
Noun edit
spinster (plural spinsters)
- (sometimes derogatory) A woman who has never been married, especially one past the typical marrying age according to social traditions.
- Synonym: old maid
- 1628–1644, Edw[ard] Coke, (please specify |part=1 to 4), London:
- If […] a woman be named spinster, she may abate […] the same [writ].
- One who spins (puts a spin on) a political media story so as to give something a favorable or advantageous appearance; a spin doctor, spin merchant or spinmeister.
- (obsolete) Someone whose occupation was spinning thread.
- c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:
- The spinsters and the knitters in the sun.
- (obsolete) A woman of evil life and character; so called from being forced to spin in a house of correction.
- (rare, dialectal) A spider; an insect (such as a silkworm) which spins thread.
Translations edit
unmarried woman
|
one who spins a political media story
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obsolete: occupation
See also edit
Further reading edit
Anagrams edit
Dutch edit
Etymology edit
From spinnen (“to spin”) + -ster.
Pronunciation edit
Audio (file)
Noun edit
spinster f (plural spinsters, diminutive spinstertje n)
- a female spinner