female members of a family; especially used to talk about people related to someone through their mother

In 1948 Joanna's grandmother on the distaff side won the title. 1948年，乔安娜的外祖母赢得了冠军。

He had hoped that the heirloom might be passed through the distaff side to his beloved daughter.

She objects to the tradition that prevents names being inherited via the distaff side.

On the distaff side, certainly, we're a very long-lived family.

My grandmother on the distaff side was French.

See also: distaff adjective