Dictionary

dry nurse en · NOUN

Etymology

To distinguish from a wet nurse, who suckles a baby.

Meanings

1. (historical) A nurse who takes care of a baby, but does not breastfeed.
   • The family found a dry nurse to take care of the infant.
2. (archaic, slang) An inferior officer who carries on the duty on board ship, due to the captain's ignorance of seamanship.

Forms

Coordinates

wet nurse

Translations (8)

pt ama-seca (a nurse who attends and feeds a child by hand) · sl pestunja (a nurse who attends and feeds a child by hand) · es ama seca (a nurse who attends and feeds a child by hand) · gd muime-altram (a nurse who attends and feeds a child by hand) · pl piastunka (a nurse who attends and feeds a child by hand) · ga cailín páistí (a nurse who attends and feeds a child by hand) · ga banaltra (a nurse who attends and feeds a child by hand) · es ama de brazos (a nurse who attends and feeds a child by hand)

dry nurse en · VERB

Etymology

To distinguish from a wet nurse, who suckles a baby.

Meanings

1. To feed, attend, and bring up without suckling.
2. (archaic, slang) Of an inferior officer: to carry on the duty on board ship, due to the captain's ignorance of seamanship.

Forms