Maiden vs. Spinster

Maidennoun

A girl or an unmarried young woman.

Spinsternoun

A woman who has never been married, especially one past the typical marrying age according to social traditions.

Maidennoun

A female virgin.

‘She's unmarried and still a maiden.’;

Spinsternoun

One who spins (puts a spin on) a political media story so as to give something a favorable or advantageous appearance; a spin doctor, spin merchant or spin master.

Maidennoun

A man with no experience of sex, especially because of deliberate abstention.

Spinsternoun

(obsolete) Someone whose occupation was spinning thread.

Maidennoun

A maidservant.

Spinsternoun

(obsolete) A woman of evil life and character; so called from being forced to spin in a house of correction.

Maidennoun

A clothes maiden.

Spinsternoun

(rare) A spider; an insect (such as a silkworm) which spins thread.

Maidennoun

An unmarried woman, especially an older woman.

Spinsternoun

A woman who spins, or whose occupation is to spin.

‘She spake to spinster to spin it out.’; ‘The spinsters and the knitters in the sun.’;

Maidennoun

(horse racing) A racehorse without any victory, i.e. one having a "virgin record".

Spinsternoun

A man who spins.

Maidennoun

(horse racing) A horse race in which all starters are maidens.

Spinsternoun

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.’;

Maidennoun

(historical) A Scottish counterpart of the guillotine.

Spinsternoun

A woman of evil life and character; - so called from being forced to spin in a house of correction.

Maidennoun

(cricket) A maiden over.

Spinsternoun

an elderly unmarried woman

Maidennoun

(obsolete) A machine for washing linen.

Spinsternoun

someone who spins (who twists fibers into threads)

Maidennoun

(Wicca) Maiden

Spinsternoun

an unmarried woman, typically an older woman beyond the usual age for marriage.

Maidenadjective

Virgin.

Spinster

Spinster is a term referring to an unmarried woman who is older than what is perceived as the prime age range during which women usually marry. It can also indicate that a woman is considered unlikely to ever marry.

Maidenadjective

(of a female, human or animal) Without offspring.

Maidenadjective

Like or befitting a (young, unmarried) maiden.

Maidenadjective

(figuratively) Being a first occurrence or event.

‘The Titanic sank on its maiden voyage.’; ‘After Edmund Burke's maiden speech, William Pitt the Elder said Burke had "spoken in such a manner as to stop the mouths of all Europe" and that the Commons should congratulate itself on acquiring such a member.’;

Maidenadjective

(cricket) Being an over in which no runs are scored.

Maidenadjective

Fresh; innocent; unpolluted; pure; hitherto unused.

Maidenadjective

(of a fortress) Never having been captured or violated.

Maidenadjective

(of a tree) Grown from seed and never pruned

Maidennoun

An unmarried woman; a girl or woman who has not experienced sexual intercourse; a virgin; a maid.

‘She employed the residue of her life to repairing of highways, building of bridges, and endowing of maidens.’; ‘A maiden of our century, yet most meek.’;

Maidennoun

A female servant.

Maidennoun

An instrument resembling the guillotine, formerly used in Scotland for beheading criminals.

Maidennoun

A machine for washing linen.

Maidenadjective

Of or pertaining to a maiden, or to maidens; suitable to, or characteristic of, a virgin; as, maiden innocence.

‘Have you no modesty, no maiden shame ?’;

Maidenadjective

Never having been married; not having had sexual intercourse; virgin; - said usually of the woman, but sometimes of the man; as, a maiden aunt.

Maidenadjective

Fresh; innocent; unpolluted; pure; hitherto unused.

‘Full bravely hast thou fleshedThy maiden sword.’;

Maidenadjective

Used of a fortress, signifying that it has never been captured, or violated.

Maidenverb

To act coyly like a maiden; - with it as an indefinite object.

‘For had I maiden'd it, as many use.Loath for to grant, but loather to refuse.’;

Maidennoun

an unmarried girl (especially a virgin)

Maidennoun

(cricket) an over in which no runs are scored

Maidenadjective

serving to set in motion;

‘the magazine's inaugural issue’; ‘the initiative phase in the negotiations’; ‘an initiatory step toward a treaty’; ‘his first (or maiden) speech in Congress’; ‘the liner's maiden voyage’;