Dutch wife

Meaning

Noun

• A long body-length bolster (pillow) that can be held or wrapped around one's body while sleeping.
• 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.

Origin

• From Dutch + wife