Nanny
/ˈnæni/noun
A woman employed to care for children in a household.
Did you know?The word likely began as a nursery form of female names like Anne or Agnes, then shifted into a general term for a child-minder—proof that some of the most ordinary words start as intimate family speech.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
English
nane / nanni
“A familiar form used as a name or address for a woman, especially in child speech.”
16th–17th Century
English
nanny
“A term of address for a woman; later, a nurse or governess for children.”
17th–18th Century
English
nanny
“A child’s caretaker, especially one employed in a household.”
Modern English
English
nanny
“A woman employed to care for children in a household.”