Ayah
/ˈeɪ.jə/noun
A nursemaid or female domestic servant, especially in colonial India and other parts of South Asia.
Did you know?English adopted “ayah” through Anglo-Indian usage, where it commonly referred to an Indian nursemaid employed by European families.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*awo-
“An older relative or ancestor, especially a grandfather or grandmother”
Classical Latin
Latin
avia
“Grandmother”
Medieval Portuguese
Portuguese
aia
“Nursemaid, governess, or female attendant”
18th Century
Hindi
āyā
“Nursemaid or female domestic servant”
18th Century
Anglo-Indian English
ayah
“A female servant caring for children”
Modern English
English
ayah
“A nursemaid or female domestic servant, chiefly in South Asian contexts”