doula
/ˈduːlə/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 2.26 in modern English
6
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
1
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
Example Sentences
- "The function of the doula varies in different cultures from a little help here and there to complete succoring, including bathing, cooking, carrying, and feeding. Whatever the doula does, however, is less important than the fact that she is there."
- "Rebekah Rosler, a therapist and doula, decided to leave, even though her family history in New York goes back to the 1870s, she said."
Etymology
Borrowed from Greek δούλα (doúla, “servant-woman”), from Ancient Greek δούλη (doúlē, “female slave”). Popularized by the American anthropologist Dana Raphael in the book The Tender Gift: Breastfeeding (1973), where the word is credited to Eleni Rassias.
Origin
- Source language: Greek
Word Breakdown
- Root: δούλα, δούλη
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in Medicine.