Standard Lemma guide
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
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noun
A trained support person who provides emotional, physical and practical assistance to a pregnant woman or couple before, during or after childbirth.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A trained person who provides similar support to someone who is diagnosed with an incurable condition and is receiving end-of-life care.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
an assistant (often the father of the soon-to-be-born child) who provides support for a woman in labor by encouraging her to use techniques learned in childbirth-preparation classes
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: labor coach, birthing coach, monitrice
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: assistant, helper, help, supporter
History
Borrowed from Greek δούλα (doúla, “servant-woman”), from Ancient Greek δούλη (doúlē, “female slave”). Popularized by the American anthropologist Dana Raphael in the book The Tender Gift: Breastfeeding (1973), where the word is credited to Eleni Rassias.
Across languages
18 source translations are retained for this English entry.
