crèche
Definition
- Noun:
- A facility for childcare: A "crèche" is a place where babies and young children are cared for during the day, especially while their parents are working or otherwise occupied.
- A nursery for infants: A "crèche" can also specifically refer to a nursery for very young children, often found in workplaces, hospitals, or community centers.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The office provides a crèche for employees with small children. (A childcare facility at a workplace.)
- She dropped her baby off at the crèche before going to her meeting. (A nursery where infants are supervised.)
Advanced Usage
"to set up a crèche": to establish a childcare facility.
- The community center decided to set up a crèche for local families. (They created a place for children to be looked after.)
"crèche facilities": the amenities and services provided in such a nursery.
- The hospital offers crèche facilities for staff working night shifts. (Childcare services available on-site.)
Variants and Related Words
Crèche (plural: crèches): multiple childcare facilities.
- Several crèches have opened in the city to meet demand. (Multiple nurseries.)
Crèche (alternative spelling: creche): the same word, often used without the diacritic.
- The local creche is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. (A childcare center.)
Synonyms
- Nursery: a place where young children are cared for.
- Daycare: a facility providing daytime care for children.
- Playgroup: a group of children who play together under supervision.
Related Idioms
- "crèche mentality": (figurative) a mindset of being overly dependent on others for care or support.
- His crèche mentality prevented him from taking responsibility. (He expected constant help like a child in a nursery.)
Phrasal Verbs
- None directly associated: "crèche" is primarily a noun and does not commonly form phrasal verbs.