distaff

As a noun distaff

is a device to which a bundle of natural fibres (often wool, flax, or cotton) are attached for temporary storage, before being drawn off gradually to spin thread. A traditional distaff is a staff with flax fibres tied loosely to it (see Etymology), but modern distaffs are often made of cords weighted with beads, and attached to the wrist.

As an adjective distaff

is of, relating to, or characteristic of women.

As a verb destaff is

to divest of staff or employees.

As nouns the difference between distaff and spindle

is that distaff is a device to which a bundle of natural fibres (often wool, flax, or cotton) are attached for temporary storage, before being drawn off gradually to spin thread. A traditional distaff is a staff with flax fibres tied loosely to it (see Etymology), but modern distaffs are often made of cords weighted with beads, and attached to the wrist while spindle is a rod used for spinning and then winding natural fibres (especially wool), usually consisting of a shaft and a circular whorl positioned at either the upper or lower end of the shaft when suspended vertically from the forming thread.

As an adjective distaff

is of, relating to, or characteristic of women.

As a verb spindle is

to make into a long tapered shape.

As nouns the difference between taxonomy and distaff

is that taxonomy is the science or the technique used to make a classification while distaff is a device to which a bundle of natural fibres (often wool, flax, or cotton) are attached for temporary storage, before being drawn off gradually to spin thread a traditional distaff is a staff with flax fibres tied loosely to it (see etymology), but modern distaffs are often made of cords weighted with beads, and attached to the wrist.

As an adjective distaff is

of, relating to, or characteristic of women.

As a noun distaff

is a device to which a bundle of natural fibres (often wool, flax, or cotton) are attached for temporary storage, before being drawn off gradually to spin thread a traditional distaff is a staff with flax fibres tied loosely to it (see etymology), but modern distaffs are often made of cords weighted with beads, and attached to the wrist.

As an adjective distaff

is of, relating to, or characteristic of women.

As a verb dize is

to dress with flax for spinning, as a distaff; dizen.