Etymology Map
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Amah

2 stages from Portuguese to English.

Today it means a nursemaid or domestic servant in East or South Asia

Where does the word "amah" come from? It comes from Portuguese ama, adopted directly into English (1800s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
ama
Portuguese · 1500s
"wet nurse"
'wet nurse', probably from the nursery word amma 'mother' found in Medieval Latin; Portuguese families in Macau used it for local nursemaids
2
Stage 2 of 2
amah
English · 1800s
"nursemaid, housemaid"
used across British East Asia; from the 1930s many Hong Kong amahs were 'majie', sworn spinsters from Shunde's silk districts who moved into domestic service after the silk industry collapsed
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Read the full story

Amah’s story begins in Portuguese: ama meant “wet nurse.” 'wet nurse', probably from the nursery word amma 'mother' found in Medieval Latin; Portuguese families in Macau used it for local nursemaids. It reached English by 1800s as amah. Used across British East Asia; from the 1930s many Hong Kong amahs were 'majie', sworn spinsters from Shunde's silk districts who moved into domestic service after the silk industry collapsed. Today, amah means a nursemaid or domestic servant in East or South Asia.