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

The fee was around the average for such arrangements, and far more than Elliott made in her occasional work as a housekeeper. —Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026

Even the housekeepers know what to look out for. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Feb. 2026

The exact size varies depending on the property, but Flomarine is staffed by a chef, butler, gardener, and housekeeper. —Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 5 Feb. 2026

The housekeeper remarks she’s tried to sneak into a ball four times, with audiences seeing one of these take place at the masquerade ball. —Arushi Jacob, Variety, 31 Jan. 2026

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