governante

noun

gov·​er·​nante

ˈgəvə(r)nənt

variants or gouvernante

ˈgüv-,

¦güv-

plural -s

1

archaic : a woman having charge of a young person : chaperone sense 2, governess sense 2

attended by … an old gentlewoman for her governante

—Jedidiah Morse

2

archaic : the mistress of a household : housekeeper

3

obsolete : governess sense 1

the government devolved upon the princess, as governante during her son's minority

—Tobias Smollett

Word History

Etymology

French gouvernante, from feminine of gouvernant, present participle of gouverner to govern, administer, bring up, from Old French governer

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