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

• maid

Examples of housekeeper in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

From a nanny to help with her kids four days a week who makes their dinner, lunches, and does laundry, a housekeeper who comes once a week to clean and do ironing, and Hirsch's mom who also watches the children once a week and makes dinner for everyone. —Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Aug. 2025

Guests rent out the full estate, which includes a dedicated majordomo, private chef, and housekeepers. —Rebecca Ann Hughes, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025

Set in Bogotá during a virus outbreak, the story follows Viviana, a housekeeper held captive by her wealthy employers. —Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 29 July 2025

Charlotte Rae, best known as housekeeper Edna Garrett on the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, suggested the spinoff, which saw Mrs. Garrett leaving her duties at the Drummond home to take charge of the young ladies at Eastland Academy. —James Mercadante, EW.com, 11 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1528, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for housekeeper

• beekeeper
• bookkeeper
• doorkeeper
• gamekeeper
• gatekeeper
• goalkeeper
• innkeeper
• minesweeper
• peacekeeper
• shopkeeper
• storekeeper
• timekeeper

Kids Definition

housekeeper

noun

house·​keep·​er ˈhau̇-ˌskē-pər 

: a person employed to take care of a house