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ayah

noun

Definition of ayahnext
as in amah

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ayah This was a place where other Asians also found a home, notably lascars from India and East Africa, and ayahs abandoned by their English employers after the long sea voyage. — Hari Kunzru, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ayah
  1. amah
  2. nurse
  3. nanny
Noun
  • In colonial days, many families had a lifelong helper known as an amah (after the Portuguese word for nurse).
    — Time, Time, 23 Jan. 2018
Definition of amah
Noun
  • But for the registered nurse, who dons a Hello Kitty badge reel at work, nostalgia was part of the card’s appeal.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Aesthetic nurse specialist Roxette Romanes of SkinSpirit’s Roslyn Heights location said ZO’s economics are broadly similar to those of other professional skincare brands the clinic carries.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of nurse
Noun
  • Her parents divorced early and shared custody across film and TV sets in Colorado and California and beyond, with Dakota and a nanny and a tutor and her half brother running between them.
    — Alessandra Codinha, Vogue, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The country’s parents need comprehensive reform, not this kind of regressive, zero-sum nanny-statism.
    — Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of nanny

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“Ayah.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ayah. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ayah

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