FromMiddle Englishgovernesse, a contracted form ofgoverneresse, fromOld Frenchgoverneresse(“female ruler or administrator”). In later senses, equivalent togovern(or) +-ess.
governess (pluralgovernesses)
- Awoman paid toeducatechildren in their own home.
- Synonym:(nonstandard)governoress
1917, Anton Chekhov, translated byConstance Garnett,An Upheaval:[Mashenka Pavletsky] returning from a walk to the house of the Kushkins, with whom she was living as agoverness, found the household in a terrible turmoil.
1990 January 12, Bill Watterson,Calvin & Hobbes (comic):Boy, youare a crabby lady! Who are you? Calvin's cruelgoverness?
September 8 2022, Stephen Bates, “Queen Elizabeth II obituary”, inThe Guardian[1]:it was then still just possible to have a relatively normal life at the family’s 25-bedroom mansion at 145 Piccadilly, from where the baby was taken for a two-hour constitutional in her pram to Hyde Park and back every day by hergoverness.
- (dated) Afemalegovernor.
- Synonyms:(dated)governoress,(rare)gubernatrix
1927 January 21, “Hints and Dints”, inNew Castle News, volume XLVII, number117, New Castle, Pa.,page four, columns4–5:“The Gates Ajar” seems to be the favorite song and inspiration ofMa Ferguson in her four years as governor. The ladygoverness pardoned criminals as soon as they were convicted and was so chronic in her actions that the courts had just about refused to function in convicting anyone.
2008, @tiredofher,CNN[2], archived fromthe original on11 April 2023:I cannot begin to tell you how tired I am of this woman and all she stands for and all those shallow people who think an Alaskangoverness has what it takes to be a VP.
- (dated) Thewife of agovernor.
- Synonym:(dated)governoress
1697,The Ingenious and Diverting Letters of the Lady ⸺ Travels into Spain. […], 4th edition, London: […] Samuel Crouch […], page22:The LadyGoverneſs of the Town drew near to me;[…]
1814,Benjamin Heyne, “Journal of a Tour from Bengalore to Trichinopoly, in 1802”, inTracts, Historical and Statistical, on India; with Journals of Several Tours through Various Parts of the Peninsula: Also, an Account of Sumatra, in a Series of Letters, London: […] Robert Baldwin, […]; and Black, Parry, and Co. […], page345:The common wood strawberry, which was introduced by the Right Hon. Lady Powis [Henrietta Clive, Countess of Powis] whenGoverness at Madras, grows in great luxuriance and of delightful flavour.
1888,Dayaram Gidumal,The Life and Life-work of Behramji M. Malabari […], Bombay: […] [T]he Education Society’s Press, […], page282:I was pressed to make a halt at Ahmedabad for a few days; then asked to stay for a few hours; finally, for half an hour, to see “the Governor andGoverness” of Madras.
woman paid to educate children in their own home
governess (third-person singular simple presentgovernesses,present participlegovernessing,simple past and past participlegovernessed)
- Towork asgoverness; toeducatechildren in their ownhome.
