Definition

1. Noun:
   • A woman having literary or intellectual interests: A woman who is learned, scholarly, and devoted to intellectual pursuits, often to the perceived exclusion of more conventional feminine interests. The term historically carried a somewhat derogatory or mocking connotation, suggesting a woman who is pedantic or unfashionably studious.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • She was considered a bluestocking in her time, preferring the library to the ballroom.
  • The literary salon was frequented by several notable bluestockings of the 18th century.

Advanced Usage

• Historical Context: The term originated in mid-18th century England, referring to members of literary societies. It derives from the informal blue worsted stockings worn by one of the male founders of a literary circle, Benjamin Stillingfleet. Its application to learned women was initially neutral but became pejorative.
• Modern Nuance: In contemporary use, the term is often employed historically or with a degree of irony. It can acknowledge a woman's intellect while sometimes subtly referencing outdated stereotypes about her femininity or social graces.

Variants and Related Words

• Bluestockingism (n): The attitudes, characteristics, or world of bluestockings.
  • Her essays critique the bluestockingism of the Victorian era.

Synonyms

• Intellectual (n): A person interested in intellectual pursuits.
• Savante (n): A learned woman; a female scholar.
• Bas-bleu (n): The French term for a bluestocking, used in English contexts.

Antonyms

• Philistine (n): A person who is hostile or indifferent to culture and the arts.
• Frivolous woman (n phr): A woman concerned primarily with trivial or pleasure-seeking pursuits.

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Blue-stocking circle: A group or gathering of literary or intellectual people, especially women.
  • She hosted a vibrant blue-stocking circle in her London home.

Noun

1. a woman having literary or intellectual interests