wet nurse: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal / Historical / Literary
Quick answer
What does “wet nurse” mean?
A woman employed to breastfeed and care for another woman's infant.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A woman employed to breastfeed and care for another woman's infant.
To act as a wet nurse; to nurture or provide excessive care to someone in a way that stifles independence.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in definition. The historical practice was common in both cultures. The verb form is equally rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Carries historical, class-based, or antiquated connotations in both. The metaphorical verb use can imply coddling or overprotectiveness.
Frequency
Very low frequency in modern everyday language. Primarily encountered in historical texts, period dramas, or specific discussions on childcare history.
Grammar
How to Use “wet nurse” in a Sentence
to wet-nurse [someone]to act as (a) wet nurse (for/to [someone])Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “wet nurse” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The senior staff shouldn't have to wet-nurse every new graduate through their first project.
- He felt his mother was trying to wet-nurse him even though he was thirty.
American English
- The manager refused to wet-nurse employees who wouldn't read the manual.
- She accused her partner of wet-nursing their teenager by doing all his laundry.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in historical, sociological, or gender studies discussing pre-modern childcare, class, and women's roles.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Might be used when discussing family history or in metaphorical criticism (e.g., 'Stop wet-nursing him!').
Technical
Used in medical history or anthropology to describe the specific practice of paid lactation.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “wet nurse”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “wet nurse”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “wet nurse”
- Using it as a modern, neutral term for a nanny.
- Misspelling as 'wet-nurse' (noun) is acceptable, but 'wet nurse' (open compound) is standard for the noun. The verb is hyphenated: 'to wet-nurse'.
- Confusing with 'dry nurse' (a nurse who does not breastfeed).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not inherently offensive, but it is dated and context-specific. Using it to describe a modern lactation consultant would be inaccurate and potentially insensitive. The metaphorical verb use is often critical.
Biologically, no, as the term specifically entails breastfeeding. The role is defined by lactation.
A wet nurse's defining role is breastfeeding the child. A nanny provides general care and may feed the child with a bottle. All wet nurses were nannies in a sense, but not all nannies were wet nurses.
No, it is quite rare and used almost exclusively in a metaphorical, and usually negative, sense to describe overbearing care that prevents independence.
A woman employed to breastfeed and care for another woman's infant.
Wet nurse is usually formal / historical / literary in register.
Wet nurse: in British English it is pronounced /ˈwet nɜːs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈwet nɝːs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly associated.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'WET' = milk, 'NURSE' = carer. A milk-carer for a baby.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROVIDING SUSTENANCE IS CARING (literal). EXCESSIVE CARE IS INFANTILIZING (metaphorical verb).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most likely modern context to encounter the term 'wet nurse'?