Catherinette (original) (raw)

Catherinette was a traditional French label for a woman of twenty-five years who was still unmarried by the Feast of Saint Catherine (25 November). A special celebration was offered to them on this day and everyone wished them a swift end to their single status. Although the term has become rather old-fashioned in France, it is still sometimes used to refer to 25-year-old single women. The derogatory terms spinster and old maid were used in a similar context in the English-speaking world. In modern China, the slang term sheng nu describes "leftover women".