caretaker
Americannoun
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a person who is in charge of the maintenance of a building, estate, etc.; superintendent.
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a person or group that temporarily performs the duties of an office.
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British. a janitor.
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a person who takes care of another.
adjective
noun
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a person who is in charge of a place or thing, esp in the owner's absence
the caretaker of a school
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(modifier) holding office temporarily; interim
a caretaker government
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social welfare a person who takes care of a vulnerable person, often a close relative See also carer
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of caretaker
First recorded in 1855–60; care + take ( def. ) + -er 1 ( def. )
Explanation
When you work as a caretaker, you look after a house or a piece of property. The caretaker of a grand old estate might live in a small cottage on its grounds. A caretaker might make small repairs to a house, weed a property's flower gardens, or mow the lawn. Some caretakers live in the house they care for, often during an off season when its main inhabitants don't stay there. You can also use the word to mean "caregiver," a person who takes care of someone who's elderly or ill, or to refer to someone who looks after animals.
Vocabulary lists containing caretaker
The Circuit
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The Shining
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A Boy Called Bat
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Caretaker Adi Viveash was in charge for the last time, with former Hammarby manager Hellberg's first game coming against Derby on Saturday.
From Barron's • Nov. 25, 2025
Lebanon’s Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati praised the aid package, saying that “Lebanon’s security is security for European countries and vice versa.”
From Seattle Times • May 2, 2024
Caretaker ministers at the time suggested that this was done because of security concerns.
From BBC • Mar. 18, 2024
Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi dispelled the suggestion of bias.
From Reuters • Sep. 14, 2023
He passed a Caretaker walking slowly with one of the Old in the hall.
From "The Giver" by Lois Lowry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
