Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

wet-nurse

noun

/ˈwɛt nɜrs/

Definition

A woman who breastfeeds and cares for another person’s child.

Examples

After she returned to work, she hired a wet-nurse to take care of her newborn.
In earlier centuries, it was common for noble families to employ a wet-nurse to care for their infants.

Meaning

A wet-nurse is typically someone who is hired to provide breast milk and care for a baby when the mother is unable to do so, due to various reasons such as health issues, lack of milk, or work commitments.