babysitter
nounUK /ˈbeɪ̯biˌsɪtə/ · US /ˈbeɪ̯biˌsɪtɚ/
Etymology From baby + sitter.
1
A person who cares for one or more babies or children for a short period of time in place of their legal guardians.
- My neighbor is sometimes a babysitter for other mothers’ children.
2
Derogatory A person who has to watch or attend to anything or anyone unnecessarily closely; a coddler or handholder.
- He said he did not want to be on tenterhooks worrying about us and having to act as a babysitter for grown men.2005, Alan Ball, Playing Extra Time, page 158:
- Derived terms
- babysit, babysitter test, electronic babysitter
- Related terms
- birdsitter, catsitter, dogsitter, homesitter, house-sitter, petsitter, puppysitter, nanny, nurse