What does "spinster" mean?
Spinster: A man who spins. [Obs.] Shak.
Additional senses
- 2.(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.
- 3.A woman of evil life and character; -- so called from being forced to spin in a house of correction. [Obs.]
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00