Spinster:
There is a lot of information, the earliest
recorded was the 13th century when its original meaning was related to spinning
and the occupation of spinning. A spinster was someone, stereotypically a
women, who would spin yarn. In the examples and screenshots it shows evidence
of the word changing as the spelling has changed. This could also mean that the
pronunciation could have been different. The term spinster has changed from
being a term to describe occupation to describing an unmarried women.
Then from the 17th century, it came to
denote a legal term for women who were still unmarried beyond the age that was
considered unusual and was considered an old maid. The male equivalent of an
unmarried man is a bachelor.
A spinster is seen as female, rarely a male,
who spins. Someone who practices spinning as a regular occupation. However a
spinster is also seen as a spider or another insect that spins. Or a spinster
is seen as and currently a women who is unmarried past a certain age.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/spinster
Whore:
Origin- Late Old English hōre, of Germanic
origin; related to Dutch hoer and German Hure, from an Indo-European root
shared by Latin carus 'dear'.
A whore is stereotypically a women but
according to some definitions can also be seen as a male. The word is currently
described as someone who sells themselves and is used for prostitution. However
there are also many different meaning such as if you commit adultery you are
seen as a whore. A male prostitute would also come under the name of a whore.
The meanings haven’t really changed over time just people have created a
stereotype of a whore being a women, that is the only major change or
difference. A whore is either seen as a women who prostitutes herself for hire.
OR to play the whore of a women, to commit adultery. Or in some respects a male
prostitute: any promiscuous or unprincipled person.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/whore
Witch:
Origin- Old English wicca (masculine),
wicce (feminine), wiccian (verb); current senses of the verb are probably a
shortening of bewitch.
A man who practises witchcraft or magic; a
magician, sorcerer, wizard. See also white witch female magician, sorceress; in
later use esp. a woman supposed to have dealings with the devil or evil spirits
and to be able by their co-operation to perform supernatural acts. See also
white witch n. A young woman or girl of bewitching aspect or manners.
When the word which occurs you
automatically think of supernatural events or magic. The word witch is also
stereotypically seen as a women and wizard would be seen as a male. The word
has always been linked with magic the devil and that sort of subject with
bewitching powers these thoughts are what you instantly think when the word
witch is said or brought up. Witches are often associated with powers, black
cloaks and hats and flying on a broomstick.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/witch
Bachelor:
Origin- Middle English: from Old French
bacheler; of uncertain origin.
A bachelor is man who is not and has never
been married. This relates to the female equivalent being a spinster. However a bachelor has other
meanings. The current most agreed to definition of the word is a man of a legal
age who is unmarried. Another definition would be a person who has completed an
undergraduate curriculum at a university and holds a bachelor degree. Another definition
of the word would be a male animal that does not mate during the breeding
season. And a final definition would be a young knight in the service of
another knight in feudal times. This shows that the word has several meanings
that relate to completely different things.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/bachelor
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