Q: Put gunpowder in tubes of bamboo and what do you have?
A: The first rockets, invented by (of course) the Chinese. These cylindrical explosives (used for warfare and for frightening spirits) made their way across Asia and into Europe around the 13th century.
The Eye-talians called this new invention rochetta, from rocca, the word for distaff. A distaff is an ancient cylindrical tool used in spinning, and its cylindrical-ness is most likely what led to the Italians naming the new explosive gunpowder tubes after it. As the word rochetta evolved into 'rocket', the word 'distaff' evolved into an adjective for all femininity and domesticity... because spinning fibers into yarn is traditionally women's work.
There you have it. When you use the word 'rocket' today (Jan. 7th is Distaff Day, btw), remember its ties to ancient femininity.
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