ENGLISH
REFERENCE

babysitting

n. uncountable
A2 Elementary US //ˈbeɪbiˌsɪtɪŋ// UK //bˈeɪbɪsˌɪtɪŋ// babysit·ting

n. the job of looking after children for a short time while their parents are away.

n. the act of providing temporary childcare, typically on an informal or short-term basis while parents are absent.


SIMPLE

She earns extra money by babysitting for her neighbours.

CONTEXTUAL

The couple struggled to find a reliable person for babysitting on Friday nights.

COMPLEX

While professional childcare requires formal certification, babysitting is often the first form of paid employment for teenagers seeking to develop responsibility and financial independence.

Etymology 1

From babysit + -ing.

Etymology 2

From baby + sitting.

Usage

Typically functions as an uncountable activity noun; when referring to a specific instance, 'a babysitting job' is preferred.

Pitfall

I have many babysittings this weekI have a lot of babysitting to do this weekBabysitting is uncountable when referring to the activity; use 'jobs' or 'sessions' if you need to count individual instances.

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