governess:
(plural: ‘governesses‘; pronunciation: the letter ‘g’ in this word rhymes with the letter ‘g’ in the word “garden”)
(in olden days) a woman teacher who lived with a rich family and educated the children of that family at home;
(in modern day usage & very less commonly) a female governor,
the governess & her charges in the most popular film/movie ‘The Sound of Music’ (1965)
A governess in a large and wealthy household is more than just a nanny or a maid who usually looks after the children; a governess teaches the children manners and social etiquette besides academic subjects.
The position of a governess is nothing less than desirable because many celebrities, including Princess Diana of UK, are known to start their independent lives as governesses.
Though the position of a governess has become out-dated in the West, there are some royal families, such as the Saudi Arabia royal family, which still appoint governesses, well-educated women mostly from Europe to home school their children.
