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 of housekeeper

• maid

Examples of housekeeper in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Gloria Satterfield, the Murdaugh family’s housekeeper for more than two decades, is elevated to a central character to anchor the show’s emotional arc. —Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 22 Nov. 2025

Carter, the younger brother of Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter, was found dead in his bathtub by a housekeeper. —Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2025

Kepner's body was found under a bed on a Carnival cruise ship earlier this month by a housekeeper, according to two sources familiar with the matter. —Cristian Benavides, CBS News, 21 Nov. 2025

The series featured his executive assistant, Jenni Pulos, and his housekeeper and fan-favorite, Zoila Chávez. —Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 14 Nov. 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