dry-nurse

1 of 2

verb

(ˈ)drī-ˈnərs 

dry-nursed; dry-nursing; dry-nurses

transitive verb

1

: to take care of but not breastfeed (another woman's baby) : to act as a dry nurse to

2

: to give unnecessary supervision to

dry nurse

2 of 2

noun

: a woman who takes care of but does not breastfeed another woman's baby

Synonyms

Noun

• babysitter
• nanny
• nannie
• nurse
• nursemaid
• nurser
• sitter

Examples of dry-nurse in a Sentence

Noun

after years of being a dry nurse to other women's children, she longed to have a child of her own

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1598, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

dry nurse

noun

: a woman who takes care of but does not breastfeed another woman's baby