Meanings
nounneedlewoman (plural needlewomen)
plural needlewomen
- A woman who works with a needle; a female embroiderer, sewer, etc.
Rosie learned to sew too and became a good needlewoman, often sitting up with her mother into the night hours.
2002, Jennifer Worth, Call the Midwife, Phoenix (2012), page 228
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna woman who makes or mends dresses
Similar
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*(s)neh₁-
- Proto-Indo-European*(s)néh₁tlom
- Proto-Germanic*nēþlą
- Proto-Germanic*nēþlō
- Proto-West Germanic*nāþlu
- Old Englishnǣdl
- Middle Englishnedle
- Englishneedle
- Proto-Germanic*wībą
- Proto-West Germanic*wīb
- Old Englishwīf
- Proto-Indo-European*mon-
- Proto-Germanic*mann-
- Proto-West Germanic*mann
- Old Englishmann
- Old Englishwīfmann
- Middle Englishwomman
- Englishwoman
- Englishneedlewoman
Translations
Hungarian varrónő
- varrónőa woman who works with a needle
Irish bean fuála, maintín
- bean fuálaa woman who works with a needle
- maintína woman who works with a needle
- fuálaí (mná)a woman who works with a needle
- druinneacha woman who works with a needle
- bean snáthaidea woman who works with a needle
Italian cucitrice
- cucitricea woman who works with a needle
Polish szwaczka
- szwaczkaa woman who works with a needle
Romanian cusătoreasă, croitoreasă
- cusătoreasăa woman who works with a needle
- croitoreasăa woman who works with a needle
Russian рукоде́льница
- рукоде́льница (rukodélʹnica)a woman who works with a needle
Cite this entry
APA
needlewoman. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/needlewoman
MLA
“needlewoman.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/needlewoman. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “needlewoman,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/needlewoman.
Source: needlewoman on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.