housemother

American  

[hous-muhth-er] / ˈhaʊsˌmʌð ər /

noun

1. a woman in charge of a residence, especially for children, students, or young women, who acts as hostess, chaperon, and occasionally as housekeeper.

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Other Word Forms

• housemotherly adjective

Etymology

Origin of housemother

First recorded in 1830–40; house + mother ¹

Example Sentences

Before long, a housemother at the school was punishing them for it.

From Washington Post • Jun. 16, 2021

The late Charlotte Rae, who played housemother Edna Garrett, passed away in 2018 at age 92.

From Fox News • Apr. 9, 2019

Sagar Nepali, a sturdy, 11-year-old boy with warm, determined black eyes, wearing a dirt-stained black hooded sweatshirt, is playing with a packet of temporary tattoos given to him and his friends by their housemother.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2015

“The Facts of Life,” which ran from 1979 to 1988, centered on a group of boarding school girls under the guidance of a housemother played by Charlotte Rae.

From New York Times • Mar. 13, 2015

A housemother appeared, waiting to take me inside and nodding that my escort could be on his way.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Related Words

• dowager
• housekeeper
• matriarch