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

At the center of the story is Nina Drayton, who, 20 years ago at age 5, was the sole witness to the murder of her sister, Tamara, by Josie Jackson, the daughter of their family’s summer housekeeper and her childhood babysitter. —Connie Panzariello, Boston Herald, 23 Aug. 2025

Among the fictitious board were Taylor’s housekeeper and a bartender. —Michael Loria, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2025

Walter played Chessy, the beloved and brutally honest housekeeper of Nick's fictional California winery and mansion. —Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 23 July 2025

To help with their dissatisfaction from their day job as housekeepers at a hotel and to help pay the bills, the duo spend their weekends crashing wealthy weddings and stealing the gifts to pawn. —Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 4 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