Governess

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Governess \Gov"ern*ess\, n. [Cf. OF. governeresse. See
     {Governor}.]
     A female governor; a woman invested with authority to control
     and direct; especially, one intrusted with the care and
     instruction of children, -- usually in their homes.
     [1913 Webster]



From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  governess
       n : a woman entrusted with the care and supervision of a child
           (especially in a private home)

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  22 Moby Thesaurus words for "governess":
     abbess, chaperon, chatelaine, dame, dowager, duenna, educatress,
     first lady, goodwife, great lady, homemaker, housewife,
     instructress, madam, matriarch, matron, mistress, mother superior,
     schooldame, schoolmarm, schoolmistress, tutoress