1. adjective
a) of, relating to, or characteristic of women
b) referring to the maternal side of a family
2. noun
a) 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.
Wikipedia foundation.