Nanny
[nan-ee] /ˈnæn i/
noun, plural nannies.
1.
a person, usually with special training, employed to care for children in a household.
[nan-ee] /ˈnæn i/
noun
1.
a female given name.
/ˈnænɪ/
noun (pl) -nies
1.
a nurse or nursemaid for children
2.
3.
a child’s word for grandmother
verb nannies, nannying, nannied
4.
(intransitive) to nurse or look after someone else’s children
5.
(transitive) to be overprotective towards
n.
“children’s nurse,” 1795, from widespread child’s word for “female adult other than mother” (cf. Greek nanna “aunt”). The word also is a nickname form of the fem. proper name Ann, which probably is the sense in nanny goat (1788, cf. billy goat). Nanny-house “brothel” is slang from c.1700. Nanny state, in reference to overintrusive government policies is attested by 1987, the term associated with British political leader Margaret Thatcher, who criticized the tendency.
v.
“to be unduly protective,” 1954, from nanny (n.). Related: Nannied; nannying.
Related Terms
get someone’s goat
Read Also:
- Nannyberry
[nan-ee-ber-ee] /ˈnæn iˌbɛr i/ noun, plural nannyberries. 1. .
- Nanny cam
noun 1. a camera that transmits images to a computer, used to monitor children in another location noun a surveillance camera by which parents can watch children and/or their caregivers from a remote location; also called kiddie cam , kid cam See kiddie cam
- Nannydom
noun overprotectiveness on the part of an institution, likened to that of a caregiver
- Nannygai
[nan-ee-gahy] /ˈnæn iˌgaɪ/ noun 1. a small red saltwater fish, Trachichthodes affinis, of Australian waters. /ˈnænɪˌɡaɪ/ noun (pl) -gais 1. an edible sea fish, Centroberyx affinis, of Australia, which is red in colour and has large prominent eyes Also called red fish
- Nanny-goat
noun 1. a female goat. noun 1. a female goat Compare billy goat