nanny

¹

[ nan-ee ]

noun

, plural nan·nies.

1. a person, usually with special training, employed to care for children in a household.

Nanny

²

[ nan-ee ]

noun

1. a female given name.

nanny

/ ˈnænɪ /

noun

1. a nurse or nursemaid for children
2. 1. any person or thing regarded as treating people like children, esp by being patronizing or overprotective
   2. ( as modifier )

      the nanny state

3. See grandmother
   a child's word for grandmother

verb

1. intr to nurse or look after someone else's children
2. tr to be overprotective towards

Word History and Origins

Origin of nanny¹

1785–95; nursery word; compare Welsh nain grandmother, Greek nánna aunt, Russian nyánya nursemaid

Word History and Origins

Origin of nanny¹

C19: child's name for a nurse

Example Sentences

Nothing cures a political problem like finding a new villain, and Abbott is busy setting up local officials as big-government nannies.

From TIme

My partner and I cannot afford a nanny and were not comfortable sending our daughter back to day-care.

From Washington Post

Her nanny, Ole Golly, tells her that writers take notes on people.

From Washington Blade

They’re more likely to have help from a nanny or the luxury to choose not to work.

From Voice of San Diego

To its childcare offerings, which include back-up care and enrollment through Bright Horizons, Citi in August added nanny placement services for employees.

From Fortune

UNO puts such an onus on smoking students that it ultimately seems like a bully, even more than a nanny.

From The Daily Beast

The Louisiana university has turned into a nanny state, issuing a campus smoking ban of dubious legality.

From The Daily Beast

Now, at the University of New Orleans, we have a “nanny university.”

From The Daily Beast

She hired a full-time nanny only when it became unavoidable as the family made plans to travel to Australia for a royal tour.

From The Daily Beast

He moved to Los Angeles straight out of college at 22, but the only steady work he found was as a male nanny.

From The Daily Beast

"I should say Nanny Pulsifer would naturally lose weight," I answered.

From Project Gutenberg

With all the disadvantage of her little feet, Nanny managed best; where she could not walk, she jumped.

From Project Gutenberg

It is true that Nanny was a slattern, but only because she married into slavery.

From Project Gutenberg

But pity poor Nanny Coutts, who took her chains to bed with her.

From Project Gutenberg

But Nanny visited no one, and so Jess only knew her by hearsay.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• au pair
• governess