Adjacent Words

Spinster definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

SPIN'STER, n. [spin and ster.]
1. A woman who spins, or whose occupation is to spin. Hence,
2. In law, the common title by which a woman without rank or distinction is designated. If a gentlewoman is termed a spinster, she may abate the writ.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: an elderly unmarried woman [syn: spinster, old maid]
2: someone who spins (who twists fibers into threads) [syn: spinner, spinster, thread maker]

Merriam Webster's

noun Date: 14th century 1. a woman whose occupation is to spin 2. a. archaic an unmarried woman of gentle family b. an unmarried woman and especially one past the common age for marrying 3. a woman who seems unlikely to marry • spinsterhood noun • spinsterish adjective • spinsterly adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 an unmarried woman. 2 a woman, esp. elderly, thought unlikely to marry. Derivatives: spinsterhood n. spinsterish adj. spinsterishness n. Etymology: ME, orig. = woman who spins

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Spinster Spin"ster, n. [Spin + -ster.] 1. A woman who spins, or whose occupation is to spin. She spake to spinster to spin it out. --Piers Plowman. The spinsters and the knitters in the sun. --Shak. 2. A man who spins. [Obs.] --Shak. 3. (Law) An unmarried or single woman; -- used in legal proceedings as a title, or addition to the surname. If a gentlewoman be termed a spinster, she may abate the writ. --Coke. 4. A woman of evil life and character; -- so called from being forced to spin in a house of correction. [Obs.]

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(spinsters) A spinster is a woman who has never been married; used especially when talking about an old or middle-aged woman. (OLD-FASHIONED) N-COUNT

Foolish Dictionary

An ember from which the sparks have flown.

Moby Thesaurus

bachelor girl, feme sole, jenny, lone woman, maid, maiden, maiden lady, mule, old maid, silkworm, single girl, spider, spinner, spinning frame, spinning jenny, spinstress, tabby, throstle, vestal, vestal virgin, virgin, ,