nanny

¹ American  

[nan-ee] / ˈnæn i /

noun

PLURAL

nannies

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

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Nanny ² American  

[nan-ee] / ˈnæn i /

noun

1. a female given name.

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nanny British  

/ 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. a child's word for grandmother

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verb

1. (intr) to nurse or look after someone else's children

2. (tr) to be overprotective towards

Etymology

Origin of nanny

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

Example Sentences

"Her granddaughter is so upset, she just wants her nanny back."

From BBC

“Normally I finance blind and go into some debt” over the holidays, said Martin, who is working as a nanny while looking for a job.

From The Wall Street Journal

Even the worst of the latter who don’t have it in them to be good parents have the resources to erect protections around their children—therapists, counselors, nannies, trainers of all sorts.

From The Wall Street Journal

Hanging up octopuses to dry on a clothesline, he tells the Tanners’ nanny, “Like to f— get you and hang out on a line.”

From Los Angeles Times

Melody Butiu has a few moving moments as the loyal nanny—who lives in the kids’ abandoned playhouse.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• au pair
• governess