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ayah
[ ah-yuh ]
/ ˈɑ yə /
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noun
(in India) a native maid or nurse.
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Which of the following nouns has an irregular plural form?
Origin of ayah
1775–85; <Hindi āyā<Portuguese aia maidservant <Latin avia grandmother, equivalent to av(us) grandfather + -ia feminine suffix
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use ayah in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for ayah
ayah
/ (ˈaɪə) /
noun
(in the East, Africa, and other parts of the former British Empire) a maidservant, nursemaid, or governess, esp one of Indian or Malay originCompare amah
Word Origin for ayah
C18: from Hindi āyā, from Portuguese aia, from Latin avia grandmother
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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