Word
governess
Phoneticsgov·erness
US/ˈɡəvɝnəs/
UK/ɡˈʌvənˌɛs/
Definition
n. a woman who is hired to teach and take care of children in a private home. This word is more common in old stories or historical books.
n. a female teacher or domestic worker employed to educate and supervise children in a private household. Often used in historical or literary contexts to describe a domestic staff member of high social standing.
Examples
“The governess taught the children to read and write.”
“In the 19th century, many wealthy families employed a governess to provide a private education for their daughters.”
“The novel explores the complex relationship between a young governess and the children she is hired to educate, highlighting the social isolation and emotional tension of her position.”
Examples
simple
“The governess taught the children to read and write.”
contextual
“In the 19th century, many wealthy families employed a governess to provide a private education for their daughters.”
complex
“The novel explores the complex relationship between a young governess and the children she is hired to educate, highlighting the social isolation and emotional tension of her position.”
Real-World Examples
“It seems to be Becky Sharp's fate to be a governess: she is clever, educated and impecunious, so she takes a job in the household of Sir Pitt Crawley.” 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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/governess