Where does “distaf” come from?
distaf (Middle English) comes from Old English distæf, from Old English stæf, from Proto-West Germanic stab, from Proto-Germanic stabaz, from Proto-Indo-European stebʰ- — to stand still; to harden.
distaf (Middle English): A distaff; a staff for spinning
Definitions
- A distaff; a staff for spinning
Ancestry of “distaf”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | distæf | distaff |
| 2 | Old English | stæf | staff; letter, written character |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | stab | staff; letter |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | stabaz | staff, stick |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | stebʰ- | to stand still; to harden |
Words derived from “distaf”