housekeeper

noun

house·​keep·​er ˈhau̇s-ˌkē-pər 

1

: one employed to manage the domestic duties involved in maintaining a house

2

: a member of a household who manages the domestic duties of the household

She was her father's housekeeper …

—Lucy Maud Montgomery

especially : one who keeps house in a specified way

was always a good/poor housekeeper

… a tidy housekeeper who kept flowers outside his unit …

—Kyle Swenson

Synonyms

• biddy
• char [British]
• charwoman
• handmaiden
• handmaid
• house girl
• housemaid
• maid
• maidservant
• skivvy [British]
• wench [old-fashioned]

Examples of housekeeper in a Sentence

they hired a housekeeper to help their aging parents live at home

Recent Examples on the Web

Advertisement At hotels, housekeepers, desk clerks and other employees would see a 48% hike over 3½ years, compared with the $20.32 per hour currently set by the city’s hotel minimum wage law. —David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024

Upon arrival, you’ll be greeted by your dedicated concierge, chef, bartender, and housekeeper. —Patricia Johnson, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2024

Popular on Variety Set in present day in Berlin, the movie draws the portrait of a modern family, the Engels, who seemingly have nothing left to hold them together when housekeeper Farrah enters their lives. —Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 5 Dec. 2024

Vickie was a housekeeper at a Marriott hotel and sang in the choir at her local church. —Veronica Fulton, NBC News, 3 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1528, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

housekeeper

noun

house·​keep·​er ˈhau̇-ˌskē-pər 

: a person employed to take care of a house