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.

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

She is a former childminder whose husband is a Conservative member of Northampton Town Council.

From BBC • Aug. 22, 2025

A registered childminder from Cabragh, County Tyrone, said she wants to be able to care for more younger children, specifically those under four years and three months old.

From BBC • Jul. 31, 2025

The middle child wanted to see the dad without having to see the dad's new partner - his former childminder.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2025

I volunteered to do it, to become a childminder for the people down the road.

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