Other forms: governesses
A governess is a woman employed to teach children in their own home. A governess for the children, engage a governess, the governess's room.
The job belonged to the nineteenth century and sat awkwardly between family and servant, which is why so many novels turn on it. It has all but vanished as an occupation and survives mostly in fiction.
1noungovernessA woman employed to teach children in their home.
“The children were taught at home by a governess until they were twelve.”
governess is a teacher.
Old French governeresse meant a female ruler or administrator, from governer, to govern, from Latin gubernare, to steer.
Old French
governeresse — female ruler or administrator
Middle English
governesse
English, today
governess
From Middle English governesse, a contracted form of governeresse, from Old French governeresse (“female ruler or administrator”). In later senses, equivalent to govern(or) + ess.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA