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governess

noun
/ˈɡʌvɚnəs/US/ˈɡʌvənəs/UK

Etymology

From Middle English governesse, a contracted form of governeresse, from Old French governeresse (“female ruler or administrator”). In later senses, equivalent to govern(or) + -ess.

  1. derived from governeresse
  2. inherited from governesse

Definitions

  1. A woman paid to educate children in their own home.

    • [Mashenka Pavletsky] returning from a walk to the house of the Kushkins, with whom she was living as a governess, found the household in a terrible turmoil.
    • Boy, you are a crabby lady! Who are you? Calvin's cruel governess?

  2. A female governor.

    • I cannot begin to tell you how tired I am of this woman and all she stands for and all those shallow people who think an Alaskan governess has what it takes to be a VP.

  3. The wife of a governor.

    • The Lady Governeſs of the Town drew near to me; […]
    • The common wood strawberry, which was introduced by the Right Hon. Lady Powis [Henrietta Clive, Countess of Powis] when Governess at Madras, grows in great luxuriance and of delightful flavour.
    • I was pressed to make a halt at Ahmedabad for a few days; then asked to stay for a few hours; finally, for half an hour, to see “the Governor and Governess” of Madras.
  4. ›+ 1 more definition

    1. To work as governess

      To work as governess; to educate children in their own home.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for governess. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA