amah

American  

[ah-muh, am-uh] / ˈɑ mə, ˈæm ə /

noun

1. a baby's nurse, especially a wet nurse.

2. a female servant; maid.

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amah British  

/ ˈɑːmə, ˈæmə /

noun

1. (in the East, esp formerly) a nurse or maidservant, esp one of Chinese origin Compare ayah

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Etymology

Origin of amah

First recorded in 1830–40; from Portuguese ama “nurse, governess” from Medieval Latin amma “wet nurse,” perhaps alteration of Latin mamma “breast”

Example Sentences

Boonnitipat says much of his own amah shows up in the character.

From Los Angeles Times

The building is known to have housed hundreds of destitute ayahs and amahs - as Indian and Chinese nannies were called respectively.

From BBC

Then everybody climbed into rickshaws, the younger children sitting next to their amahs.

From Literature

Then she fell into a sort of stupor, but moaned and swore at the man in her sleep, and wailed for her amah to come and dress her shoulder.

From Project Gutenberg

Women take their children and their amahs everywhere in China—I mean wherever they go and provided they want to; it is the custom.

From Project Gutenberg