day care
75
1.2
- noun
- /deɪ kɛr/
:
guardería
- If it was up to me, I'd open a day care center.
- a day care center
- preschool or day care
- a day care provider
Examples
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Well, this is a day care center for single mothers who wanna attend college.
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Likewise, children would naturally benefit from state-regulated day care programs that provide nutritious meals and snacks and well-planned physical activities.
Academic text (2013) -
Because I know of a great day care.
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I picked up the wrong baby from day care.
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We used to get dropped off at her apartment every morning for day care.
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My breaking point happened this afternoon... when I picked up my kids from day care.
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Who'll pick up the kids from day care?
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More working women have meant that more infants are in day care centers.
Academic text (1990) -
The study was carried out in semi-quiet rooms at the respective day care centers.
Academic text (2012) -
Every working parent with a child in day care knows how important it is for their child's development.
Synonyms
116
1.9
Looking after children by someone other than their parents, often for pay
106
1.0
A place where staff look after young children during the day while their parents work
50
1.8
A place where young children are looked after while parents work
28
2.1
Looking after children by people who are paid
A place where adults look after young children during the day while their parents work
How Formal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'care of children during the day' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'day' (the period of daylight) with 'care' (providing supervision or maintenance). This is a regular, compositional time+care noun compound common in English (and paralleled in many languages), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Day care comes from the simple idea of day (the time when people are awake) and care (looking after someone). It describes looking after 'children' during the day so parents can work, which is why it means 'care of children during the day while their parents are at work'.