baby-farmer

A baby-farmer watches over several children in a sunny nursery.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who takes care of infants for payment: Historically, a "baby-farmer" refers to an individual who accepts money to care for babies, often in a context where the care is minimal or neglectful. This term carries a negative connotation, implying exploitation or poor treatment of the infants.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The Victorian era saw many baby-farmers who were more interested in profit than in the well-being of the children. (A person paid to care for infants, often unethically.)
  • She was accused of being a baby-farmer after authorities discovered the poor conditions in her nursery. (A caregiver who neglects or mistreats babies for money.)

Advanced Usage

• "to act as a baby-farmer": to operate a business caring for infants, usually with improper standards.

  • The woman was convicted for acting as a baby-farmer without a license. (She provided paid infant care illegally or unethically.)

• "baby-farming" (noun): the practice of caring for infants for money, often implying neglect or exploitation.

  • Baby-farming was a common but controversial practice in 19th-century England. (The business of paid infant care with poor conditions.)

Variants and Related Words

• Baby-farming (n): the occupation or practice of being a baby-farmer.

  • Baby-farming was often associated with high infant mortality rates. (The business of paid infant care.)

• Farmer (n): a person who owns or manages a farm; in this compound, the term is metaphorically extended to mean "one who raises" babies for profit.

Synonyms

• Childminder: a person who looks after children for payment, usually in their own home (neutral term).
• Nursemaid: a woman employed to take care of children (historical, neutral).
• Wet nurse: a woman who breastfeeds another's child for payment (specific role).

Related Idioms

• "Baby-farmer" as a historical term is not used in modern idioms, but it appears in legal and social contexts:
  • The term "baby-farmer" is now considered pejorative and outdated. (A negative label for a paid infant caregiver.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Farm out: to send a child to be cared for by someone else, often for payment.
  • They decided to farm out their baby to a baby-farmer while they worked. (They arranged paid care for their infant.)