Dutch wife en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
Compound of Dutch (“inferior substitute”) + wife.
Meanings
-
A long body-length bolster (pillow) that can be held or wrapped around one's body while sleeping.
His eyes wide with surprise and fear, he clutched tightly the bolster — sweat- absorbing bedfellow of sleepers in the East — known as a Dutch wife. [...] "What do you mean? Who are you?" Maniam's great eyes, his black skin oiled with sweat, Maniam's hands pudgily clutching his Dutch wife.
1959, Anthony Burgess, Beds in the East (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 490:
- In East Asia and Southeast Asia, a wicker or bamboo tube the size of a person for use in the bed. In the summer heat, the open bamboo structure is cooler than fabric pillows or sheets. The Dutch wife is embraced by the user, exposing the maximum amount of the body to cooling breezes.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dutch wives | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Synonyms
dakimakura · bolster · body pillow · love pillow · bamboo wife
Translations (4)
vi trúc phu nhân (bamboo tube for use in bed) · ja 竹夫人 (bamboo tube for use in bed) · ko 죽부인 (bamboo tube for use in bed) · cmn 竹夫人 (bamboo tube for use in bed)