noun
spinster
SPIHNS-tuh
noun
1
An older, unmarried woman, especially one past the age when marriage was traditionally expected.
"In the novel, she is mocked by relatives for remaining a spinster at thirty."
How to Use Spinster
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old-fashioned term for an unmarried older woman.
When to use it
Now considered old-fashioned and often mildly derogatory; modern writing tends to avoid it in favor of neutral phrasing.
Word Forms
spinsters plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “spinster”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
In the novel, she is mocked by relatives for remaining a _____ at thirty.
Etymology
From Middle English spynnestere, originally simply "a woman who spins thread" — the connection to unmarried women grew from the historical association between spinning work and single women.