bantay-bata
|ban-tay-ba-ta|
/ˈbantaj ˈbata/
child guardian / child watcher
Etymology
'bantay-bata' originates from Tagalog, specifically the words 'bantay' and 'bata', where 'bantay' meant 'to guard, to watch' and 'bata' meant 'child'.
'bantay-bata' formed as a compound in modern Tagalog/Filipino by combining 'bantay' (guard/watch) and 'bata' (child) to denote someone who watches or cares for children; the components 'bantay' and 'bata' are long-established in Philippine languages.
Initially it meant 'a guard or watcher of children' in a literal sense; over time it also came to be used more generally for babysitters/child minders and as the name of organized child-welfare efforts (e.g., Bantay Bata 163).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person or group who watches over, cares for, or protects children; a babysitter or child minder. In the Philippines, also used as the name of a child-welfare/helpline initiative (e.g., Bantay Bata 163).
The community organized several bantay-bata to look after children during the festival.
Synonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2026/01/12 22:14