sitter

noun

sit·​ter ˈsi-tər 

1

: one that sits: such as

a

: a person who sits for a portrait or a bust

Usually commissioned by the sitters themselves, some images straddle the line between individual portrait and genre scene …

—Naomi Rosenblum

b

: a person who takes care of someone or something in the place of a parent, owner, etc.

pet sitters

The next time you hire a sitter [=babysitter], remind your daughter what happened the last time and let her know that you are only a phone call away.

—John Rosemond

see also house sitter

2

a

: an easy target

a sitter for enemy submarines

b

sports : an easy scoring or fielding chance

… missed an absolute sitter in the 44th minute to keep the game scoreless.

—Jamie Goldberg

Synonyms

• babysitter
• dry nurse
• nanny
• nannie
• nurse
• nursemaid
• nurser

Examples of sitter in a Sentence

They hired a sitter so they could go out.

we'll be going to the movie if we can get a sitter for the kids

Recent Examples on the Web

In recent years, Leibovitz has come under fire for her photographic portrayal of Black and Brown sitters. —Leah Dolan, CNN, 11 Oct. 2024

Like Hay, the artist delights in unexpected color combinations, often replacing her sitters’ natural skin tones with shades of red, green, and purple. —Stephanie Sporn, Vogue, 16 Sep. 2024

But as the rules of this wedding were clear and consistent, and a sitter was provided, Miss Manners agrees that your relatives were rude to bring them anyway. —Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 19 July 2024

First, their pet sitter mentioned that Nola managed to jump the tall fence surrounding their home. —Kelli Bender, People.com, 1 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sitter

• bed-sitter
• house sitter

Kids Definition

sitter

noun

sit·​ter ˈsit-ər 

: one that sits

especially : a person who babysits

Biographical Definition

Sitter

biographical name

Sit·​ter ˈsi-tər 

Willem de 1872–1934 Dutch astronomer