bluestocking

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From the 17th century. Originally in reference to blue stockings worn by men as opposed to more expensive white stockings. First associated with the Barebones Parliament in the 17th century, then with a series of literary salons which admitted female intellectuals in the 18th century; in particular the 18th-century Blue Stockings Society led by Elizabeth Montagu on the Parisian model. The term was not originally derogatory. However, none of the ladies wore blue stockings. The first recorded use of the term is in reference to Benjamin Stillingfleet. He was not rich enough to have the proper formal dress, which included black silk stockings and so he attended in everyday blue worsted stockings.

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Bulgarian: учена жена (učena žena) — scholarly, literary, or cultured woman
• Dutch: blauwkous — scholarly, literary, or cultured woman
• French: bas-bleu — scholarly, literary, or cultured woman
• German: Blaustrumpf — scholarly, literary, or cultured woman
• Hebrew: גרבון כחול — scholarly, literary, or cultured woman
• Hebrew: גרביון כחול — scholarly, literary, or cultured woman
• Hebrew: אישה מלומדת — scholarly, literary, or cultured woman
• Italian: bas-bleu — scholarly, literary, or cultured woman
• Japanese: 青鞜 (seitou) — scholarly, literary, or cultured woman
• Occitan: letruda — scholarly, literary, or cultured woman
• Swedish: blåstrumpa — scholarly, literary, or cultured woman
• Danish: blåstrømpe — member of the Blue Stocking Society
• German: Blaustrumpf — member of the Blue Stocking Society