WET-NURSE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does wet-nurse mean? 

• WET-NURSE (noun)
  The noun WET-NURSE has 1 sense:

1. a woman hired to suckle a child of someone else

  Familiarity information: WET-NURSE used as a noun is very rare.

• WET-NURSE (verb)
  The verb WET-NURSE has 1 sense:

1. give suck to

  Familiarity information: WET-NURSE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WET-NURSE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A woman hired to suckle a child of someone else

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

amah; wet-nurse; wet nurse; wetnurse

Hypernyms ("wet-nurse" is a kind of...):

nanny; nurse; nursemaid (a woman who is the custodian of children)

• WET-NURSE (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Give suck to

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

breastfeed; give suck; lactate; nurse; suck; suckle; wet-nurse

Context example:

You cannot nurse your baby in public in some places

Hypernyms (to "wet-nurse" is one way to...):

feed; give (give food to)

Verb group:

suck (draw into the mouth by creating a practical vacuum in the mouth)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s somebody

 Context examples 

Why, I was his wet-nurse. I put 'm to bed, snug every night. His mother died, and I brought 'm up on condensed milk at two dollars a can when I couldn't afford it in my own coffee. He never knew any mother but me.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)