childminder

American

[chahyld-mahyn-der] / ˈtʃaɪldˌmaɪn dər /

noun

British.

a baby-sitter.

childminder British

noun

a person who looks after children, esp those whose parents are working

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of childminder

First recorded in 1940–45; child + mind + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Basingstoke childminder Ash Crouch said the changes represented a "serious threat to the sustainability of thousands of home-based childcare settings".

From BBC • Jan. 13, 2026

What matters is that a baby has regular interaction with at least one "stable attachment figure", she says - it is not important whether that is a parent, or a nursery worker or childminder.

From BBC • Dec. 31, 2025

Laura Timmis, 39, from Conwy said she was previously a childminder and struggled when there was "hidden dog poo" at beaches and other public spaces.

From BBC • Aug. 18, 2025

Opening the case, prosecutor Naeem Valli said Connolly also sent a message saying she intended to work her notice period as a childminder "on the sly" - despite being de-registered.

From BBC • Oct. 17, 2024

There’s no way I’ll be leaving her with a childminder again, no matter how qualified or vouched for they are.

From "The Girl on the Train" by Paula Hawkins

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023