spinster
Permanently single woman
A spinster is an unmarried woman, especially one past the conventional age for marriage.
The word originally meant a woman who spins thread—an occupation for unmarried women—but now carries connotations of being old, unwanted, or left behind.
It's considered dated and often offensive: She bristled at being called a spinster.
The male equivalent, bachelor, lacks the negative associations.
One in number
- bacheloretteUnmarried woman
- maidenUnmarried young woman
- unwedNot hitched
- unattachedNot joined or connected
celibate · eligible · partnerless · solo · childless · uncommitted · never-married · husbandless
Fiber-holding spinning tool
- yarnTwisted strand for crafts
- flaxFiber and oil crop
- linenFlax-derived textile
- fiberPlant-based digestive aid
thread · wool · wheel · whorl · handspinning
Woman keeping many felines
- lonelyWanting companionship
- pitiedFelt sorrow for another
- eccentricUnconventional in character
- reclusiveSeeking isolation from others
dowdy · wallflower · homely · prudish · frumpy · unchosen · bluestocking · unwanted
Able to provide independently
- self-reliantAble to provide independently
- autonomousSelf-directed and free
- empoweredGiven power to act
- liberatedReleased from confinement
free-spirited · unconstrained · unencumbered · self-supporting · freewheeling · unfettered · unconventional · nonconformist
single
One in number
- bacheloretteUnmarried woman
- maidenUnmarried young woman
- unwedNot hitched
unattached · celibate · eligible · partnerless · solo · childless · uncommitted · never-married · husbandless · spouseless
distaff
Fiber-holding spinning tool
cat lady
Woman keeping many felines
reclusive · dowdy · wallflower · homely · prudish · frumpy · unchosen · bluestocking · unwanted
self-sufficient
Able to provide independently
- self-reliantAble to provide independently
- autonomousSelf-directed and free
- empoweredGiven power to act
liberated · free-spirited · unconstrained · unencumbered · self-supporting · freewheeling · unfettered · unconventional · nonconformist · trailblazing
old-fashioned
Belonging to earlier times
Victorian · passe · anachronistic · obsolete · bygone · quaint · fusty · Edwardian · 19th-century · Dickensian
- Victorianaseances, Dickens, spiritualism, Sherlock Holmes, phrenology
- old-fashionedantique, antiques, gramophone, phonograph, horse and buggy
- Old-timey wordsicebox, gramophone, phonograph, horseless carriage, aeroplane
- stock charactersvillain, sidekick, hero, damsel in distress, fool
- gender stereotypesboys will be boys, pink for girls, blue for boys, man up, strong men
- identitiesalter ego, gender, persona, sexuality, alias
spinsterwife
Female marriage partner
married woman · bride · matron · newlywed · bride-to-be
spinsterbride
Woman getting married
newlywed · fiancée · blushing bride · debutante · belle of the ball