A French nursemaid or governess, particularly one employed by an English-speaking family. Also means 'good' in French when used as an adjective.
From French 'bonne' meaning good woman or maid, feminine form of 'bon' meaning good, from Latin 'bonus.' The word entered English in the 19th century during the fashion for French domestic staff.
This word represents the complex colonial and class relationships of the 19th century, when wealthy English families considered French childcare inherently superior. The word itself embodies the romanticization of foreign domestic labor - calling someone 'good' became their job title.
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