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.
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noun
A woman employed to educate children in private households.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: nonstandard
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: governess
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A female governor.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: governess, gubernatrix
Antonyms: none provided
noun
The wife of a governor.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: governess
Antonyms: none provided
History
Originally from Middle English governeresse, from Old French governeresse. In this form (with -o-; unlike governeress, governer seems to have never been more common than the -o- form) and later uses, directly from governor + -ess.
