steward

1 of 2

noun

stew·​ard ˈstü-ərd 

ˈstyü-;

ˈst(y)u̇rd

1

: one employed in a large household or estate to manage domestic concerns (such as the supervision of servants, collection of rents, and keeping of accounts)

2

: shop steward

3

: a fiscal agent

4

a

: an employee on a ship, airplane, bus, or train who manages the provisioning of food and attends passengers

b

: one appointed to supervise the provision and distribution of food and drink in an institution

5

: one who actively directs affairs : manager

steward

2 of 2

verb

stewarded; stewarding; stewards

transitive verb

: to act as a steward for : manage

intransitive verb

: to perform the duties of a steward

Synonyms

Noun

• daily [British]
• domestic
• flunky
• flunkey
• flunkie
• lackey
• menial
• retainer
• servant

Verb

• administer
• administrate
• carry on
• conduct
• control
• direct
• govern
• guide
• handle
• keep
• manage
• operate
• overlook
• oversee
• preside (over)
• regulate
• run
• superintend
• supervise
• tend

Examples of steward in a Sentence

Noun

the steward of their investments

teaching our children to be good stewards of the land

the steward of the estate

The race stewards are reviewing the results.

Verb

will steward the city's library programs

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Episodes building competent boards: stewards of the future and leading sustainable finance transformation explain German business practices. —Jodie Cook, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024

The Muth family didn’t start this delicious tradition, but the 103-year-old sweet shop has been the steward of the classic treat since a fire destroyed the old Busath’s candy store on Fourth Street just before Christmas in 1947. Learn the history of Modjeskas and how they're made. —Ray Padilla, The Courier-Journal, 14 Dec. 2024

Verb

Say hello — again — to the Government Accountability Office, the hawkish auditor of the federal government that clawed back $70 billion from agencies in fiscal 2023 as part of hundreds of actions to properly steward federal funds. —Kathryn Anne Edwards, The Mercury News, 24 Nov. 2024

From my earliest days, I’ve been encouraged to steward the Earth. —Samantha Laine Perfas, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English stīweard, from stī, stig hall, sty + weard ward — more at sty, ward

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1621, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing steward

• shop steward
• wine steward

Kids Definition

steward

noun

stew·​ard

ˈst(y)ü-ərd,

ˈst(y)u̇(-ə)rd

1

: a manager of a large home, estate, or organization

2

: a person employed to manage the supply and distribution of food and attend the needs of passengers (as on a train, airplane, or ship)

Etymology

Noun

Old English stīweard, literally, "keeper of the hall, keeper of the sty," from stī "hall, sty" and weard "ward, guard, keeper"

Legal Definition

steward

noun

stew·​ard

: shop steward