plural caretakers
1
: a person who takes care of buildings or land while the owner is not there
We have a caretaker who watches the place for us while we are away.
2
chiefly US
: a person who gives physical or emotional care to someone (such as a child, an old person, or someone who is sick)
I asked her caretaker [=caregiver] if there was anything I could do to help.
3
British
: janitor
always used before a noun
: doing a job for a short time before another is chosen to take the job officially
a caretaker [=interim, temporary] government
the caretaker President
Cite this Entry
“Caretaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/caretaker. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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