distaff
/ˈdɪstɑːf/noun
1- a stick or spindle on to which wool or flax is wound for spinning纺纱杆。
1.1
- as modifier of or concerning women（与）女人（或女性）（有关）的：
marriage is still the passport to distaff power.
婚姻仍然是女性权利的通行证。
词源
Old English dist æf: the first element is apparently related to Middle Low German dise, disene 'distaff， bunch of flax'; the second is STAFF1. The extended sense arose because spinning was traditionally done by women.