governante

English

Etymology

From Dutch gouvernante, and its source, Middle French gouvernante. Compare govern.

Noun

governante (plural governantes)

1. (obsolete) A female ruler or regent. [16th–20th c.]
2. (archaic) A woman in charge of someone else, especially a child or young woman; a governess. [from 17th c.]
   • 1748, Tobias Smollett, chapter 50, in The Adventures of Roderick Random:

     When it came to his turn to mention Sir John Sparkle, he represented him as a man of an immense estate and narrow disposition, who mewed up his only child, a fine young lady, from the conversation of mankind, under the strict watch and inspection of an old governante […] .

   • 1822, [Walter Scott], chapter X, in Peveril of the Peak. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 227:

     Shortly after the failure of the singular negotiation for attaining peace by combat, which Peveril had attempted to open with Major Bridgenorth, that gentleman left his seat of Moultrassie-Hall in the care of his old housekeeper, and departed, no one knew whither, having in company with him the Reverend Master Solsgrace, with his daughter Alice and Mrs. Deborah Debbitch, now formally installed in all the duties of a gouvernante.

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡo.verˈnan.te/
• Rhymes: -ante
• Hyphenation: go‧ver‧nàn‧te

Adjective

governante (plural governanti)

1. governing, ruling

Noun

governante f (plural governanti)

1. governess
2. housekeeper

Noun

governante m or f by sense (plural governanti)

1. (usually in the plural) government leader

Portuguese

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ɡo.veʁˈnɐ̃.t͡ʃi/ [ɡo.veɦˈnɐ̃.t͡ʃi]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ɡo.veʁˈnɐ̃.t͡ʃi/ [ɡo.veɦˈnɐ̃.t͡ʃi]
  • (São Paulo) IPA^(key): /ɡo.veɾˈnɐ̃.t͡ʃi/
  • (Rio de Janeiro) IPA^(key): /ɡo.veʁˈnɐ̃.t͡ʃi/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ɡo.veɻˈnɐ̃.te/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɡu.vɨɾˈnɐ̃.tɨ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɡu.vɨɾˈnɐ̃.tɨ/
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɡu.bɨɾˈnɐ̃.tɨ/ [ɡu.βɨɾˈnɐ̃.tɨ]

• Hyphenation: go‧ver‧nan‧te

Noun

governante m or f by sense (plural governantes)

1. ruler, leader of a government

Quotations

For quotations using this term, see Citations:governante.