custodial

adjective

cus·​to·​di·​al ˌkə-ˈstō-dē-əl 

1

a

: relating to guardianship

b

: relating to, providing, or being protective care or services for basic needs

nursing and custodial care

2

: having sole or primary custody of a child

the custodial parent

Examples of custodial in a Sentence

Her mother is the custodial parent.

Recent Examples on the Web

Word had already spread through the halls back at Worth County High in Georgia, where Williams now coaches; before his nine-hour operation, an 82-year-old preacher who worked on the custodial staff at Worth County came into his hospital room and prayed. —Luca Evans, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 2025

Our gardening people on campus, our custodial people, our PE teachers have all been great. —John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025

Decker was already facing custodial interference charges after the girls were initially reported missing. —Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2025

New research from CrossLedger Capital, launched by Brava, the non-custodial stablecoin management platform, paints a more nuanced picture. —Lawrence Wintermeyer, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1678, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for custodial

• noncustodial

Medical Definition

custodial

adjective

cus·​to·​di·​al ˌkəs-ˈtōd-ē-əl 

1

: relating to, providing, or being protective care or services for basic needs

nursing and custodial care

2

: having sole or primary custody of a child

the custodial parent

Legal Definition

custodial

adjective

cus·​to·​di·​al kə-ˈstō-dē-əl 

1

: occurring during or in connection with custody

a custodial interrogation

2

: having sole custody or custody a greater portion of the time

a custodial parent