ayah
Raj-era caregiver
Ayah is a word used mainly in British English and in South Asian contexts for a nanny or nursemaid, especially one employed by a European family in India or other parts of South Asia during the colonial era.
The term derives from Portuguese and remains in use in some regions to describe a female domestic worker who cares for children.
The children adored their ayah, who had been with the family for years.
Domestic child caretaker
- governessPrivate household teacher
- childminderProfessional youth caretaker
- nannyHired child caretaker
- babysitterHired child caretaker
au pair · minder · attendant · guardian · wet nurse · sitter · companion · watcher
Crown-ruled subcontinent territory
- RajIndian name meaning sovereign
- memsahibColonial-era Indian honorific
- sahibIndian honorific for men
- bungalowOne-story house with porch
Anglo-Indian · nursery · veranda · punkah · bearer · compound
One employed to serve
- housemaidLive-in cleaning employee
- maidHousehold cleaning worker
- housekeeperDomestic cleaning professional
- handmaidFemale personal attendant
chambermaid · attendant · household staff · retainer · domestic worker · memsahib · sahib
Attending to dependents
- tendernessGentle, caring quality
- affectionWarm emotional attachment
- bondingForming close connections
- upbringingChildhood care and training
nurturing · protection · guidance · support · mothering · fostering · attachment · lullaby
nursemaid
Domestic child caretaker
- governessPrivate household teacher
- childminderProfessional youth caretaker
- nannyHired child caretaker
babysitter · au pair · minder · attendant · guardian · wet nurse · sitter · companion · watcher · keeper
British India
Crown-ruled subcontinent territory
bungalow · Anglo-Indian · nursery · veranda · punkah · bearer · compound
servant
One employed to serve
- housemaidLive-in cleaning employee
- maidHousehold cleaning worker
- housekeeperDomestic cleaning professional
handmaid · chambermaid · attendant · household staff · retainer · domestic worker · memsahib · sahib
caregiving
Attending to dependents
- tendernessGentle, caring quality
- affectionWarm emotional attachment
- bondingForming close connections
upbringing · nurturing · protection · guidance · support · mothering · fostering · attachment · lullaby · cradle
ayahmother
Female parent
biological parent · parent · father · birth mother · family member