Hoidjad

Hoidjad is the Estonian plural form of hoidja, a noun meaning a person who takes care of someone or something. A hoidja can function as a caregiver, custodian, or keeper, depending on the context. The term is neutral and broad, used for a range of roles from childcare and elder care to the guardianship or safekeeping of property.

In childcare contexts, the most common specific form is lapsehoidja, literally a child caretaker, used for a babysitter or childminder. In everyday use, hoidja can refer to someone who looks after a child in a family setting or an employee at a daycare center. The word can also describe someone who looks after the elderly or a person with a disability, such as a caregiver or home health aide, and it can even denote a custodian or guard who looks after a building or object.

Etymology: hoidja is formed from the verb hoidma, meaning to keep, guard, or take care, with the agentive suffix -ja to denote a person performing that action. The plural is hoidjad.

Variants and related terms: compound formations include lapsehoidja (childcare worker), as well as other compounds where the root refers to care or shelter. The term is widely used in Estonian, both in formal discourse and in everyday language.