Where does “distaff” come from?

Distaff comes from Middle English distaf, from Old English distæf, combining Old English stæf (staff) with Proto-Germanic stabaz and ultimately Proto-Indo-European stebʰ- (to support or prop up).

distaff (English): A device to which a bundle of natural fibres are...

Definitions

  1. A device to which a bundle of natural fibres are...

Ancestry of “distaff”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishdistafA distaff; a staff for spinning
2Old Englishdistæfdistaff
3Old Englishstæfstaff; letter, written character
4Proto-West Germanicstabstaff; letter
5Proto-Germanicstabazstaff, stick
6Proto-Indo-Europeanstebʰ-to stand still; to harden

Words derived from “distaff”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European stebʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic stabaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic stab →