housekeeper

noun

house·​keep·​er ˈhau̇s-ˌkē-pər How to pronounce housekeeper (audio)
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 housekeeperLucy 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

Examples of housekeeper in a Sentence

they hired a housekeeper to help their aging parents live at home
Recent Examples on the Web The residence comes with a dedicated staff of six: a butler, a chef, a laundress, two gardeners, and two housekeepers. Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2024 Lourdes Nolasco, 63, a housekeeper at Hyatt Andaz for about 15 years, received a text message on Wednesday from a union organizer with news of the tentative agreement. Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2024 Highlights include a stone wet bar showcasing a 500-gallon saltwater aquarium, a cigar room, a den with a marble fireplace, a movie theater and separate quarters for a live-in housekeeper or other staff member. James McClain, Robb Report, 4 Mar. 2024 It was also reported that when a housekeeper discovered Ledger unresponsive that day, Gladwell’s book was on Ledger’s nightstand and a draft of Gaghan’s screenplay was next to him in bed. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Feb. 2024 On the show, Tony is an ex-baseball player and widower who moves with Samantha to Brooklyn to take a job as a live-in housekeeper. Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 25 Feb. 2024 Her father is a gardener; her mother a homemaker who raises three children and finds some work as a housekeeper. Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2024 Carmen Hermosillo, who was working as a housekeeper for the Sandman Signature at the time of the explosion, is still in the hospital, according to a GoFundMe set up by her family to help cover medical expenses and costs of recovery. James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Jan. 2024 After Davis’ father, a truck driver, abandoned the family in 1936, Davis’ mother, a housekeeper, raised him. Graham Womack, Sacramento Bee, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'housekeeper.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1528, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of housekeeper was circa 1528

Dictionary Entries Near housekeeper

Cite this Entry

“Housekeeper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/housekeeper. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

housekeeper

noun
house·​keep·​er ˈhau̇-ˌskē-pər How to pronounce housekeeper (audio)
: a person employed to take care of a house

More from Merriam-Webster on housekeeper

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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