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

For example, housekeepers typically don't make as much as janitors. —Alex Golden, Axios, 1 Apr. 2025

Iñárritu turned out 2022’s divisive but inarguably unique Bardo; and then there’s Roma, Cuarón’s auditing of his childhood by focusing on his unsung nanny and housekeeper. —Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2025

Things get serious when one of Tom’s housekeepers is swept up in the military dictatorship. —Glenn Kenny, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025

Up until Cupp’s shocking revelation, the strongest suspects in Mr. Wynter’s murder were White House housekeeper Elsyie Chayle (Julieth Restrepo) and engineer Bruce Geller (Mel Rodriguez). —Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 22 Mar. 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