Nurse Definition
nûrs
nursed, nurses, nursing
noun
nurses
A person trained to take care of the sick, injured, or aged, to assist surgeons, etc.; specif., a registered nurse or a practical nurse.
Webster's New World
Webster's New World
A woman hired to take full care of another's young child or children; nursemaid.
Webster's New World
A person or thing that nourishes, fosters, protects, etc.
Webster's New World
One that serves as a nurturing or fostering influence or means.
American Heritage
Synonyms:
- mammy
- foster-mother
- amah (India)
- wet-nurse
- minder
- child care provider
- nurserymam
- babysitter
- attendant
- servant
- nanny
- nursemaid
- caretaker
- florence nightingale
- Lady in Gray
verb
nursed, nurses, nursing
To serve as a nurse for.
Nursed the patient back to health.
American Heritage Medicine
To suckle a child.
Webster's New World
To suck milk from the breast of.
Webster's New World
To be suckled; feed at the breast.
Webster's New World
To take care of (a child or children)
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
Origin of Nurse
-
Middle English norice, nurse wet nurse from Old French norrice from Vulgar Latin nutrīcia from Late Latin nūtrīcia from feminine of Latin nūtrīcius that suckles from nūtrīx nūtrīc- wet nurse (s)nāu- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
-
Variant form of the archaic nourice, from Old French norrice, from Latin nutricius (“that nourishes"), from nutrix (“wet nurse"), from nutrire (“to suckle").
From Wiktionary
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