housekeeping

noun

house·​keep·​ing ˈhau̇s-ˌkē-piŋ How to pronounce housekeeping (audio)
1
a
: the management of a house and home affairs
… coming home to husbands who won't share in the housekeepingThe Wilson Quarterly
The first defense against insect infestation is good housekeeping (regular vacuuming) to remove eggs and larvae from the fabrics.Sara J. Wolf
b
: the work or activity of cleaning and preparing rooms for customers (as in a hotel)
often used before another noun
housekeeping services
took a housekeeping job at a nearby hotel
also : the department or employees responsible for doing such work
If you need fresh towels you can call housekeeping.
2
: the care and management of property and the provision of equipment and services (as for an industrial organization)
3
: the routine tasks that must be done in order for a system to function or to function efficiently
performing some computer housekeeping by deleting old files

Examples of housekeeping in a Sentence

We took the computer offline to do some basic housekeeping.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Second, keep an eye on app permissions on your phone, a regular check is good housekeeping. Zak Doffman, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025 After delegating tasks — Bri will be on service again, and Marina on housekeeping — Lara gets to work on what really matters, which is securing more gossip. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025 According to The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, investigators first checked Lam’s hotel room, which had already been cleared by the housekeeping staff. Alex Gurley, People.com, 19 Feb. 2025 In February 2023, Hart said, Extended Stay America South Natomas hired her to work as a housekeeping attendant for $15.50 an hour. Cathie Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 24 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for housekeeping

Word History

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of housekeeping was in 1529

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Cite this Entry

“Housekeeping.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/housekeeping. Accessed 29 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

housekeeping

noun
house·​keep·​ing
ˈhau̇-ˌskē-piŋ
: the care and management of a house and home affairs

More from Merriam-Webster on housekeeping

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