baby-sit
UK: ˈbeɪbi sɪt | US: ˈbeɪbi sɪt
vi. to temporarily care for a child in the absence of parents or guardians
vt. to act as a temporary caretaker for (a child)
The term "baby-sit" emerged in the early 20th century (1937, first recorded in the US) as a back-formation from "baby-sitter." It combines "baby" (from Middle English babi, imitative of infant speech) and "sit" (Old English sittan, meaning "to occupy a seat" or "to keep watch"). The logic reflects the sitter’s role as a guardian who "keeps watch" over a child. The hyphenated form preserves the original compound structure.
She often baby-sits for her neighbors on weekends.
Can you baby-sit my son while I attend the meeting?
Teenagers commonly baby-sit to earn extra money.
They hired a trusted student to baby-sit their toddler.
The training course teaches how to baby-sit safely.