sitter

noun

sit·​ter ˈsi-tər 

1

: one that sits: such as

a

: a person who sits for a portrait or a bust

Usually commissioned by the sitters themselves, some images straddle the line between individual portrait and genre scene …

—Naomi Rosenblum

b

: a person who takes care of someone or something in the place of a parent, owner, etc.

pet sitters

The next time you hire a sitter [=babysitter], remind your daughter what happened the last time and let her know that you are only a phone call away.

—John Rosemond

see also house sitter

2

a

: an easy target

a sitter for enemy submarines

b

sports : an easy scoring or fielding chance

… missed an absolute sitter in the 44th minute to keep the game scoreless.

—Jamie Goldberg

Synonyms of sitter

• nanny
• nurse

Examples of sitter in a Sentence

They hired a sitter so they could go out.

we'll be going to the movie if we can get a sitter for the kids

Recent Examples on the Web

Identify a partner, family member, trusted pet sitter or vet tech who can step in for feedings, care routines or emergencies. — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026

Many people get their start on Rover, which connects pet owners with sitters and walkers. — Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026

Take turns with your husband sitting with the baby in the safe space, or even hire a (healthy) sitter to stay in the room with your son. — Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2026

The types of duties before-school sitters help with can include anything needed to make the morning routine run more smoothly, from making their beds to packing lunches, all the way to the school drop-off. — Melissa Willets, Parents, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sitter

• bed-sitter
• house sitter

Rhymes for sitter

• bitter
• critter
• fitter
• fritter
• glitter
• hitter
• jitter
• knitter
• litter
• quitter
• ritter
• splitter

Kids Definition

sitter

noun

sit·​ter ˈsit-ər 

: one that sits

especially : a person who babysits

Biographical Definition

Sitter

biographical name

Sit·​ter ˈsi-tər 

Willem de 1872–1934 Dutch astronomer