governess
/ˈɡʌvɚnəs/noun, verb
governess is spelled G-O-V-E-R-N-E-S-S: 9 letters and 3 syllables. It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 34,063rd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, governess means “A woman paid to educate children in their own home” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of governess is governesses.
How many letters and syllables are in governess?
| Letters | 9: G-O-V-E-R-N-E-S-S |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 34,063rd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is governess?
Governess appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 34,063rd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce governess?
- US /ˈɡʌvɚnəs/
- UK /ˈɡʌvənəs/
- UK /ˌɡʌvəˈnɛs/
Governess has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-governess.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of governess
- governesses plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- governessing participle, present
- governessed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does governess mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A woman paid to educate children in their own home.
- 2
datedA female governor.
- 3
datedThe wife of a governor.
verb
- 1
To work as governess; to educate children in their own home.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Governess in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | gouvernante , gouverneuse |
| German | Hauslehrerin, Erzieherin, Gouvernante |
| Portuguese | governanta , governatriz |
| Spanish | institutriz |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does governess come from?
From Middle English governesse, a contracted form of governeresse, from Old French governeresse (“female ruler or administrator”). In later senses, equivalent to govern(or) + -ess.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).