wet-nurse

1 of 2

verb

ˈwet-ˌnərs 

wet-nursed; wet-nursing; wet-nurses

transitive verb

1

: to care for and breastfeed (another woman's baby) : to act as wet nurse to

2

: to give constant and often excessive care to

wet nurse

2 of 2

noun

: a woman who cares for and breastfeeds children not her own

Synonyms

Verb

• breast-feed
• nurse
• suckle

Examples of wet-nurse in a Sentence

Verb

wet-nursed the woman's baby until she was well enough to do it herself

recent college grads quickly learn that employers won't wet-nurse them the way that their teachers did

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

With nowhere else to turn, Karoline takes on the role of a wet-nurse. —Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2024

In von Horn’s pic, set in post WW1 Copenhagen, the focal point is Karoline (Sonne), a young pregnant factory worker, who takes on the job of a wet-nurse for the charismatic Dagmar (Dyrholm) in order to escape poverty. —Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 19 May 2024

Noun

The children of the home were likely left to their own devices for days at a time — unlike the offspring of well-to-do city residents, who would have been cared for by wet nurses and tutors. —Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 29 May 2024

Black enslaved women were often forced to be wet nurses or, after giving birth, sent back to work in the fields while someone else may or may not have cared for their child. —Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 24 Aug. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1784, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1620, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

wet nurse

noun

: a woman who cares for and breastfeeds young not her own