dry-nurse

1 of 2

verb

dry-nursed; dry-nursing; dry-nurses

transitive verb

1
: to take care of but not breastfeed (another woman's baby) : to act as a dry nurse to
2
: to give unnecessary supervision to

dry nurse

2 of 2

noun

: a woman who takes care of but does not breastfeed another woman's baby

Examples of dry-nurse in a Sentence

Noun after years of being a dry nurse to other women's children, she longed to have a child of her own

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1598, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dry-nurse was in 1581

Dictionary Entries Near dry-nurse

Cite this Entry

“Dry-nurse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dry-nurse. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

dry nurse

noun
: a woman who takes care of but does not breastfeed another woman's baby
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