Saturday Word: Crèche

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

crèche [KRĕsh,KRĕysh]:
origin: (1785–95) French; crib.



noun
This word is meant to call to mind the concept of being wrapped in safety & comfort -- and to my mind, hope too; it's applied to several specific definitions, although they combine well, since a person certainly can make a display of a grouping of orphaned animals which they care for:

1. British; A place for children to be cared for; a nursery or orphanage. A creche is especially valuable as a way to free women to work.

2. Any tableau of the baby Jesus surrounded by his mother Mary, her companion Joseph, and the Wise Men (or Maji) amid the barnyard animals of the famous "Nativity scene" from the Christian religion.

3. Newly founded or formed, example: a crèche director or care facility.

4. Animal nursery; groupings of baby animals, cared for communally by adults in secure locations (examples: bats, penguins, wolf pups). Pet crèches have become popular in India!

Comments

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

I've always been surprised that the nursery daycare meaning never caught on in the States.

[med_cat]

Heinlein was fond of this word, as I recall :)

[ersatz-read.livejournal.com]

Other science fiction authors too.

[med_cat]

I see :)

[ersatz-read.livejournal.com]

Although, thinking about it...they may have gotten the idea from Heinlein.

[med_cat]

Also possible :)

[ersatz-read.livejournal.com]

Cutest. Bats. Ever.

[realpestilence.livejournal.com]

Interesting to see the different definitions of this word. And that is one of the cutest animal photos I've seen in a good while. Baby bats, ftw!