Nodriza (en. Nurse)

noˈðɾiθa

Meaning & Definition

EnglishSpanish
noun
It refers to a woman who breastfeeds a child, either naturally or through artificial feeding.
The wet nurse took care of the baby while his mother worked.
La nodriza cuidaba del bebé mientras su madre trabajaba.
A woman who is responsible for the feeding of an infant who is not her own child.
They hired a wet nurse to help with the care of the twins.
Contrataron a una nodriza para ayudar con el cuidado de los gemelos.
In some contexts, it may refer to a caregiver or nanny who feeds and cares for children.
The wet nurse became part of the family over time.
La nodriza se convirtió en parte de la familia con el tiempo.

Etymology

It comes from the Latin 'nurticia', which means 'nourishing' or 'that feeds'.

Common Phrases and Expressions

to be a wet nurse
It refers to a person who takes care of or feeds another, similar to the role of a mother.
ser una nodriza
to look for a wet nurse
Used to refer to the action of hiring someone to take care of children.
buscar una nodriza

Related Words

breastfeeding
The act of breastfeeding a baby.
lactancia
caregiver
A person responsible for the care of someone, especially a child.
cuidadora
mother
The woman who has given birth or who has raised a child.
madre

Slang Meanings

Wet nurse in the colloquial sense of a woman who breastfeeds
Sometimes, they say she is the 'wet nurse' of the group because she always takes care of others.
A veces, se dice que es la 'nodriza' del grupo porque siempre cuida de los demás.
Used humorously to refer to someone who excessively cares for others
They always call me 'the wet nurse' because I worry too much about my friends.
Siempre me dicen 'la nodriza' porque me preocupo demasiado por mis amigos.