What does babysitter mean?
A babysitter is a person temporarily engaged to look after a child or children while their parents or usual guardians are away, most often for a few hours in the evening and usually in the family's own home. Unlike a nanny, who is typically employed on a regular or live-in basis, a babysitter works occasionally and casually, often paid by the hour. The word arose in the United States in the 1930s, combining 'baby' with 'sitter', and quickly became a fixture of suburban life; its verb form, 'to babysit', followed shortly after. In British English the related term 'childminder' describes a carer who looks after children in her own home, a distinct arrangement. Figuratively, the word can describe any person or institution that passively oversees something, as when regulators are said to 'babysit' an industry. Familiar, practical, and universally understood, 'babysitter' remains one of the most widely used words of modern family life.
nounA person hired to look after a child or children temporarily while the parents or usual guardians are away, typically in the family's own home and for a short period such as an evening.
- A person paid to supervise children in their home while the parents are out, usually briefly.
- (Extended use) A person who informally watches over someone or something — e.g. 'the government acted as babysitter to the failing banks' (figurative).
"We managed to get a babysitter for Saturday night so we could finally have dinner out together."
"The babysitter arrived at seven and put the twins to bed by eight."
"Finding a reliable babysitter on New Year's Eve is nearly impossible."
Standard English plural; no irregular forms exist.
"The agency sent two babysitters to cover the evening shift."
The word 'babysitter' didn't exist until the 1930s — it was coined in America during the Great Depression, when teenagers suddenly became an affordable childcare workforce.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of babysitter
The word 'babysitter' originated in the United States in the 1930s, formed by compounding 'baby' with 'sitter' (a person who sits). It emerged during the Great Depression, when inexpensive teenage labour made casual evening childcare widely available. The derived verb 'to babysit' appeared soon afterwards, with the back-formation 'babysitting' following. Related terms include the older 'nursemaid' and 'nanny', which denote more regular forms of child care.
Related word forms
How babysitter is actually used
In British English, 'childminder' refers to a registered carer who looks after children in her or his own home, which differs from a babysitter working in the child's home; 'sitter' is a common informal shortening in North America. The term carries no particular formality and is neutral in tone.
Easily confused with babysitter
A nanny is a regularly employed child-carer who often works full-time and may live with the family, whereas a babysitter provides occasional, short-term care.