What does nursemaid mean?
A nursemaid is a woman hired to care for children in a household. In the traditional domestic setting, she might feed, dress, supervise, and entertain children, as well as perform other household duties. The word is now chiefly historical or literary, reflecting a period when childcare was often organized through privately employed household workers. It should not be confused with a nurse, who is trained to provide medical care, or necessarily with a governess, whose role often centered on a child's education. The modern term nanny is the closest everyday equivalent, though it may refer to either live-in or visiting childcare, while babysitter generally describes someone who cares for children only occasionally. Understanding nursemaid nevertheless remains useful in older literature, where the term can reveal both a child's domestic upbringing and the social position of the woman employed to provide it.
nounA woman employed to care for children in a household, especially a woman whose duties include looking after young children and assisting with their care.
- A woman employed to care for children in a private household.
"Her family hired a nursemaid to help care for the twins."
"The nursemaid took the children for a walk after lunch."
"In the novel, the elderly nursemaid is the only member of the household who treats the child with kindness."
The plural is used for multiple women employed to care for children.
"The nursemaids took turns sitting with the children."
Once a familiar household fixture, the nursemaid has largely given way to the modern nanny and the professional nurse.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nursemaid come from?
The compound is English, formed from nurse and maid. Nurse comes through Old French from Latin nutricia, a noun associated with nourishing or rearing, and is related to words such as nursery, nutrition, and nutritious. Maid has a separate Germanic origin, appearing in Old English as mægþ and remaining related to maiden; in the compound, it identifies the woman as a female domestic servant.
How nursemaid is actually used
The term is now largely historical or literary. In older usage, it could also suggest a domestic servant with childcare duties, a role distinct from that of a trained nurse. Modern speakers generally use nanny, governess, or childcare worker according to the specific circumstances.
Easily confused with nursemaid
A nurse is a trained healthcare professional who provides medical care, whereas a nursemaid is a household servant or employee whose primary responsibility is childcare.