ayah

/'aiə/

Thân thiện

The ayah gently rocks the baby to sleep in the cradle.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • (In India and some other South Asian contexts) A native nursemaid or female domestic servant, especially one employed to care for children. The term historically refers to a woman hired within a household to look after the children, similar to a nanny.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The colonial family employed an ayah to care for their young children.
  • The child was very attached to her ayah, who had looked after her since infancy.

Advanced Usage

• The term "ayah" is specific to certain historical and cultural contexts, particularly those involving European families in India during the colonial period and in some post-colonial settings. Its usage today may be considered dated or regionally specific.
• It can sometimes be used more broadly to refer to any female domestic attendant in a South Asian household, though its primary association is with childcare.

Variants and Related Words

• Amah (n): A similar term used in parts of China and Southeast Asia for a nursemaid or domestic servant.
• Nanny (n): A more general, contemporary term for a person employed to care for children in a domestic setting.
• Nursemaid (n): A formal term for a woman employed to look after young children.

Synonyms

• Nursemaid
• Nanny
• Childminder
• Governess (though a governess typically also educates children)

Related Phrases

• No common phrasal verbs are directly formed with "ayah" as it is a noun.

Related Idioms

• No common idioms directly incorporate the word "ayah."

Học thuật

Noun

1. (in India) a native nursemaid who looks after children