# governess

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɡʌvɚnəs/ · frequency rank #34,084

## Definitions
1. A woman paid to educate children in their own home.
2. A female governor.
3. The wife of a governor.

## Etymology
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.

## Easily confused with
- **governs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/governess-vs-governs)
- **governed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/governed-vs-governess)

## Common misspellings (12)
`ggoverness`, `goevrness`, `govenress`, `goverenss`, `governes`, `governness`, `governses`, `goverrness`, `govreness`, `govverness`, `gvoerness`, `ogverness`

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