noun
nanny
NA-nee
noun
1
A person, usually a woman, employed to take care of children in their home.
"The family hired a live-in nanny for the twins."
2
A female goat.
"The nanny grazed beside the billy in the paddock."
verb
1
To fuss over and overprotect someone, treating them like a child.
"Stop nannying me, I can manage on my own."
How to Use Nanny
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA paid child-carer, a female goat, or (as a verb) to overprotect someone.
Common mistake
"Nanny state" is a political criticism describing government seen as overly controlling.
Common pairings
nanny state
live-in nanny
nanny goat
Word Forms
nannied past tense, nannies plural, nannies singular
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The family hired a live-in _____ for the twins.
Etymology
From "nan" (grandmother, nursemaid) plus -y, likely tracing back to an old, imitative baby-talk root for grandmother found across many languages.