Governess vs. Mistress: What’s the Difference?

• Governess

  A governess is a woman employed to teach and train children in a private household. In contrast to a nanny (formerly called a nurse), she concentrates on teaching children instead of meeting their physical needs. Her charges are of school age rather than babies.The position of governess used to be common in well-off European families before the First World War, especially in the countryside where no suitable school existed nearby. Parents’ preference to educate their children at home—rather than send them away to boarding school for months at a time—varied across time and countries. Governesses were usually in charge of girls and younger boys. When a boy was old enough, he left his governess for a tutor or a school.

  Governesses are rarer now, except within large and wealthy households or royal families such as the Saudi royal family and in remote regions such as outback Australia. There has been a recent resurgence amongst families worldwide to employ governesses or full-time tutors. The reasons for this include personal security, the benefits of a tailored education, and the flexibility to travel or live in multiple locations.

• Governess (noun)

  A woman paid to educate children in their own home.

• Governess (noun)

  A female governor.

• Governess (verb)

  To work as governess; to educate children in their own home.

• Mistress (noun)

  A woman, specifically one with great control, authority or ownership.

  “She was the mistress of the estate-mansion, and owned the horses.”

• Mistress (noun)

  A female teacher.

  “games mistress”

• Mistress (noun)

  The other woman in an extramarital relationship, generally including sexual relations.

• Mistress (noun)

  A dominatrix.

• Mistress (noun)

  A woman well skilled in anything, or having the mastery over it.

• Mistress (noun)

  A woman regarded with love and devotion; a sweetheart.

• Mistress (noun)

  A married woman; a wife.

• Mistress (noun)

  The jack in the game of bowls.

• Mistress (noun)

  A female companion to a master a man with control, authority or ownership

• Mistress (verb)

  Of a woman: to master; to learn or develop to a high degree of proficiency.

• Mistress (verb)

  To act or take the role of a mistress.

• Governess (noun)

  (especially in former times) a woman employed to teach children in a private household.

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