housekeeping

American  

[hous-kee-ping] / ˈhaʊsˌki pɪŋ /

noun

1. the maintenance of a house or domestic establishment.

2. the management of household affairs.

3. the management, care, and servicing of property and equipment of an industrial or commercial building or organization.

4. the ongoing routine, procedures, operations, and management of a commercial enterprise, government, organization, or the like.

5. Computers. system tasks, as initialization and managing peripheral devices, that must be done to permit a computer program to execute properly but that do not directly contribute to program output.

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housekeeping British  

/ ˈhaʊsˌkiːpɪŋ /

noun

1. the running of a household

2. money allocated for the running of a household

3. organization and tidiness in general, as of an office, shop, etc

4. the general maintenance of a computer storage system, including removal of obsolete files, documentation, security copying, etc

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Etymology

Origin of housekeeping

First recorded in 1530–40; house + keeping

Example Sentences

Updating hardware like cabinet handles, showerheads and doorknobs is an inexpensive way to personalize your space and add character, says Monique Valeris, home-design director at the Good Housekeeping Institute.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

Housekeeping left chocolates on the pillows after turning down beds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 23, 2025

Last year, its new burger earned endorsements by the American Diabetes Assn. and Good Housekeeping.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 16, 2025

Blue Zones certification for the community is “kind of like getting the Good Housekeeping seal of approval,” said Victor Acquista, a retired primary care doctor and Ave Maria resident.

From New York Times • Jan. 21, 2024

She pick up Miss Hilly’s Good Housekeeping, start reading it like she ain’t ever seen nothing so important.

From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

Related Words

• housework