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

• biddy
• char [British]
• charwoman
• handmaiden
• handmaid
• house girl
• housemaid
• maid
• maidservant
• skivvy [British]
• wench [old-fashioned]

Examples of housekeeper in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

His father drove a tractor-trailer and worked as a mechanic, and his mother, Annabelle, was a housekeeper who eventually went back to school and became a nutritionist. —Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Oct. 2024

Greer is predominantly livid that her son is marrying a pauper—even the housekeeper sneers at the fruit basket Amelia’s parents bring—until a body washes up on the shore. —Raven Smith, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2024

Thomas has the political instincts of an old-school ward leader and the sharp tongue of a socialite who knows the secrets of housekeepers and the intricacies of offshore bank accounts. —Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2024

Of course, come wash day, even the most diligent pet groomer and housekeeper will find fur on clothes, sheets, towels, and more. —Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1528, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

housekeeper

noun

house·​keep·​er ˈhau̇-ˌskē-pər 

: a person employed to take care of a house