foster-nurse
Noun: A woman who is employed to breastfeed and care for an infant that is not her own biological child; a wet nurse or nursemaid who raises another woman's child.
The term "foster-nurse" is a historical or literary compound noun. It specifically refers to a woman whose role is to nourish and raise a child from infancy, typically in a paid capacity, separating it from the child's biological mother. It is not commonly used in modern everyday English.
- In the historical record, a foster-nurse was often engaged by aristocratic families.
- The character in the novel was raised by a kind foster-nurse in the countryside.
The term can appear in contexts discussing historical childcare practices, class structures, or in analyses of classical literature.
- Wet nurse: A more common and specific term for a woman who breastfeeds another's child.
- Nursemaid: A woman employed to take care of a child or children.
- Nanny: A person employed to care for children in a household.
- Foster mother: A broader modern term for a woman who raises a child not biologically her own, usually without the specific connotation of breastfeeding.
Wet nurse, nursemaid.
The meaning is very specific and combines the concepts of "foster" (providing parental care) and "nurse" (suckling or caring for an infant). It does not refer to modern foster care systems administered by the state.
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a nurse who raises another woman's child as her own
