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

Others believed former school teacher John Mark Karr, who confessed to the 1996 strangulation in 2006, as a prime suspect; the family housekeeper Linda Hoffman-Pugh; or the town’s Santa Claus Bill McReynolds as the potential killer. —Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2024

For an additional fee, premium services are available, including a private chef, butler, two housekeepers, and a chauffeur. —Everett Potter, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024

Among them is Robbie Turner (Alberto Velazquez), son of the Tallis’ housekeeper and a de facto brother to Briony, plus Leon’s friend Paul Marshall (Jonathan Dole). —Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2024

Each villa—some designed for romance, some built for families, some perfect for friends—comes with sweeping views, private pools, and best of all, a dedicated butler, housekeeper, and chef. —Alyssa Shelasky, Vogue, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1528, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

housekeeper

noun

house·​keep·​er ˈhau̇-ˌskē-pər 

: a person employed to take care of a house