nurse-child
Definition
Noun: - A "nurse-child" refers to an infant or young child who is being breastfed or cared for by a nurse (a wet nurse or caregiver). It specifically denotes a child who is still nursing or being suckled, often in the context of historical or formal usage.
Usage Examples
- (An infant being breastfed by a substitute mother.)
- (A child cared for by a nurse, not the mother.)
Advanced Usage
- "nurse-child" in historical contexts: The term is rarely used in modern English, but appears in historical records, legal documents, or literary works to describe a child under the care of a nurse, especially a wet nurse.
- The estate records listed the nurse-child alongside the household servants. (The child was documented as part of the nurse's responsibilities.)
Variants and Related Words
- Nurse (n): a person trained to care for the sick or infirm, or a woman employed to breastfeed another's child (wet nurse).
- The nurse attended to the infant day and night. (The caregiver looked after the baby.)
- Nursling (n): a child or young animal that is being suckled or cared for; a synonym for nurse-child.
- The nursling grew strong on the nurse's milk. (The baby thrived under the nurse's care.)
Synonyms
- Infant: a very young child or baby.
- Suckling: a child or young animal that is still breastfeeding.
- Nurseling: a variant spelling of nursling, meaning the same as nurse-child.
Related Idioms
- To be at the nurse: an archaic phrase meaning to be under the care of a wet nurse.
- The noble child was at the nurse from birth. (The child was raised by a wet nurse from infancy.)