governess

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

governess
    n 1: a woman entrusted with the care and supervision of a child
         (especially in a private home)

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Governess \Gov"ern*ess\, n. [Cf. OF. governeresse. See
   {Governor}.]
   A female governor; a woman invested with authority to control
   and direct; especially, one intrusted with the care and
   instruction of children, -- usually in their homes.
   [1913 Webster]

from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

22 Moby Thesaurus words for "governess":
      abbess, chaperon, chatelaine, dame, dowager, duenna, educatress,
      first lady, goodwife, great lady, homemaker, housewife,
      instructress, madam, matriarch, matron, mistress, mother superior,
      schooldame, schoolmarm, schoolmistress, tutoress

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