# doula

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈduːlə/ · frequency rank #69,800

## Definitions
1. A trained support person who provides emotional, physical and practical assistance to a pregnant woman or couple before, during or after childbirth.
2. A trained person who provides similar support to someone who is diagnosed with an incurable condition and is receiving end-of-life care.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Greek δούλα (doúla, “servant-woman”), from Ancient Greek δούλη (doúlē, “female slave”). Popularized by the American anthropologist Dana Raphael in the book The Tender Gift: Breastfeeding (1973), where the word is credited to Eleni Rassias.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/doula