distaff side

NOUN

women's side of family

Synonyms

WEAK

womanhood womankind womenfolk womenfolks

Antonyms

WEAK

spear side

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

On the distaff side, Claire Messud gives us “The Burning Girl,” a kind of teen companion to “The Woman Upstairs,” her 2013 masterpiece about adult female friendship.

From Washington Post • Aug. 22, 2017

More details from the WSJ/NBC News poll: Another poll, from Fox News, finds Mrs. Clinton on the distaff side of a “gender gap” among Democrats—and quite a gap it is.

From The Wall Street Journal • Aug. 4, 2015

On the distaff side, last year’s winner, Mary Cain, returns to defend her crown.

From Newsweek • Feb. 13, 2015

At the moment several new factors are combining to favour the distaff side more.

From Economist • Jul. 7, 2011

On the father's side he is the grandchild of the seventh Duke of Marlborough, on the distaff side, of Leonard Jerome.

From Real Soldiers of Fortune by Davis, Richard Harding