spinster
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++spin·ster /ˈspɪnstə $ -ər/ noun [countable] old-fashioned MARRYan unmarried woman, usually one who is no longer young and seems unlikely to marry 〔看来不大可能会结婚的〕老姑娘，老处女 → bachelor► see thesaurus at married
Examples from the Corpus
spinster• That she should ever marry was not in his mind, though a spinster on the boards would hardly do.• In 1973 Wendy Ellis, poor Wendy, a spinster, died aged thirty-five of liver failure.• As in Ireland, there are many frustrated bachelors and spinsters, and there are frequent late marriages.• Sally lives with her mother and her spinster aunt.• And what about us inveterate spinsters, us permanent bachelors?• There did seem to be a lot of spinsters in the twenties.• A dried-up old spinster like that talking of love!• It had been clear from the start that the spinster had taken an instant dislike to both Ashi and her daughter.• Both my father's sisters were spinsters.Origin spinster (1600-1700) spinster “woman who spins” ((14-20 centuries)), from spinspin·ster nounChineseSyllable
who an unmarried Corpus woman, is one usually
spinster
spin‧ster /ˈspɪnstə $ -ər/
noun [countable] old-fashioned
■ someone who is not married
▪bachelor a man who has never been married: He’s a confirmed bachelor (=a man who has decided he will never marry).
▪spinster old-fashioned a woman who has never been married and is no longer young: The house was owned by an elderly spinster.
spin‧ster /ˈspɪnstə $ -ər/
noun [countable] old-fashioned Date: 1600-1700
Origin: spinster 'woman who spins' (14-20 centuries), from spin
an unmarried woman, usually one who is no longer young and seems unlikely to marry ⇨ bachelorOrigin: spinster 'woman who spins' (14-20 centuries), from spin
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