Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.644
Hobson-Jobson: A Glossary of Colloquial Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms, Etymological, Historical, Geographical and Discursive c10.644
- Language
- English
c10.644
**AYAH**, s. A native lady's-maid or nurse-maid. The word has been adopted into most of the Indian vernaculars in the forms *āya* or *āyā*, but it is really Portuguese (f. *aia*, 'a nurse, or governess'; m. *aio*, 'the governor of a young noble'). [These again have been connected with L. Latin *aidus*, Fr. *aide*, 'a helper.']