Wiktionary
n. the female or maternal branch of a family
Usage examples of "distaff side".
It would be false to argue that she had the best of both worlds (male and female), for only Guinevere and Emily on the distaff side ever treated her with affection.
Even the Duke Leto, a cousin on the distaff side, never knew for sure.
It was obvious that Carolyn McCoy-Grunders, the woman from WAACO, was stirring up the distaff side of the community.
Which, in the case of my soldiers, is usually not more than two, and those on the distaff side.
They inherit Plantagenet blood by direct descent, and Tudor on the distaff side.
Still young and with carbon black ringlets above the sharp dark eyes, a leopard skin coat and knee boots, where was the whip, her forebears on the distaff side a-whoring for the Goths.
The widespread belief that the Nordic nations are populated exclusively on the distaff side by these tow-headed goddesses is, however, a regrettable illusion.
Family continuity stemmed from the distaff side with the notable exception of the Warlordship.
She came out the exit door from the distaff side, caught my eye, and smiled, and suddenly everything was all right.