Standard Lemma guide

childcare

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: CH AY1 L D K EH2 R Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act, practice, or occupation of supervising and taking care of young children.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: caregiving

2

noun

Meaning 2

A place where young children are supervised while away from their parents or guardians.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a service involving care for other people's children

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: child care

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: service

Narrower terms: daycare, day care

History

Etymology

From child + care.

Across languages

Translations

23 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: kindersorg — supervising young children
  • Chinese Mandarin: 幼托 (yòutuō) — supervising young children
  • Chinese Mandarin: 兒童看護 /儿童看护 (értóng kānhù) — supervising young children
  • Chinese Mandarin: 托兒服務 /托儿服务 (tuō'ér fúwù) — supervising young children
  • Chinese Mandarin: 兒童保育 /儿童保育 (értóng bǎoyù) — supervising young children
  • Chinese Mandarin: 托育 (tuōyù) — supervising young children
  • Danish: børnepasning — supervising young children
  • Dutch: kinderopvang — supervising young children
  • Finnish: lastenhoito — supervising young children
  • French: garde d'enfants — supervising young children
  • German: Kinderbetreuung — supervising young children
  • Malay: penjagaan kanak-kanak — supervising young children
  • Norwegian Bokmål: barnepass — supervising young children
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: barnepass — supervising young children
  • Polish: opieka nad dziećmi — supervising young children
  • Russian: ухо́д за детьми́ (uxód za detʹmí) — supervising young children
  • Spanish: cuidado infantil — supervising young children
  • Swedish: barnomsorg — supervising young children
  • Indonesian: tempat penitipan anak — childcare centre
  • Japanese: 保育所 (hoikusho) — childcare centre
  • Malay: tajaka — childcare centre
  • Malay: pusat jagaan kanak-kanak — childcare centre
  • Polish: ośrodek opiekuńczy — childcare centre