caretaker

noun

care·​tak·​er ˈker-ˌtā-kər How to pronounce caretaker (audio)
1
: one that gives physical or emotional care and support
served as caretaker to the younger children
2
: one that takes care of the house or land of an owner who may be absent
3
: one temporarily fulfilling the function of office
a caretaker government
caretake verb
caretaking noun

Examples of caretaker in a Sentence

We have a caretaker who watches the place for us while we are away. hired a caretaker for the mansion during the winter months
Recent Examples on the Web Palestinians don’t want to be seen as caretakers — or worse, collaborators — working under Israel’s occupation, with little real power. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 6 June 2024 His family remembers him as a gentle caretaker who was good with babies and with the various animals at his home, including dogs, cats and fowl. Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 1 June 2024 But facing a growing threat of wildfires, national park caretakers are increasingly turning to loggers to create fire guards: buffers to stop forest fires from advancing into the rest of the park and nearby towns. Norimitsu Onishi, New York Times, 29 May 2024 Americans of all ages become caretakers, of course, and one in five adults currently provides uncompensated care to a loved one. Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 28 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for caretaker 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'caretaker.' 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

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of caretaker was in 1801

Dictionary Entries Near caretaker

Cite this Entry

“Caretaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caretaker. Accessed 13 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

caretaker

noun
care·​tak·​er ˈke(ə)r-ˌtā-kər How to pronounce caretaker (audio)
ˈka(ə)r-
: one that takes care of buildings or land often for an absent owner

More from Merriam-Webster on caretaker

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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