aya

a-ya · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    (Historical) A native nursemaid or nanny employed by European families in colonial India, the Middle East, or other Asian countries.

  2. 2.

    Variant spelling of "ayah."

Forms

plural: ayas

Related words

See also: ayah, nanny, nurse, nursemaid
Synonyms: ayah, nanny, nursemaid

Etymology

From Portuguese aia ("nurse, governess"), which came from Latin avia ("grandmother"). The word entered English through the British colonial presence in India. Also spelled "ayah."