Dutch wife
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Dutch wife
- /ˌdʌtʃ ˈwaɪf/ UK, US
Rhymes with -aɪf
Where it comes from
Compound of Dutch (“inferior substitute”) + wife.
noun Dutch wives
-
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.
Similar: body pillow, dakimakura, love pillow
-
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.
Similar: bamboo wife, bolster
Translations
Every language
noun bamboo tube for use in bed
| 한국어 | 죽부인 jukbu'in |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 竹夫人 chikufujin |
| 中文 | 竹夫人 zhúfūrén |
| Tiếng Việt | trúc phu nhân |
Talk about this word "Dutch wife." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/dutch%20wife. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. Dutch wife. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/dutch%20wife "Dutch wife." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/dutch%20wife.Cite this
@misc{dutch_wife_2026,
title = {Dutch wife},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/dutch%20wife},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
