keeper

[kee-per]

noun

1. a person who guards or watches, as at a prison or gate.

   Synonyms: jailer, warden

2. a person who assumes responsibility for another's behavior.

   He refused to be his brother's keeper.

   Synonyms: guardian, custodian

3. a person who owns or operates a business (usually used in combination).

   a hotelkeeper.

4. a person who is responsible for the maintenance of something (often used in combination).

   a zookeeper; a groundskeeper.

5. a person charged with responsibility for the preservation and conservation of something valuable, as a curator or game warden.

6. a person who conforms to or abides by a requirement.

   a keeper of his word.

7. a fish that is of sufficient size to be caught and retained without violating the law.

8. Football.,  a play in which the quarterback retains the ball and runs with it, usually after faking a hand-off or pass.

9. something that serves to hold in place, retain, etc., as on a door lock.

10. something that lasts well, as a fruit.

11. guard ring.

12. an iron or steel bar placed across the poles of a permanent horseshoe magnet for preserving the strength of the magnet during storage.

keeper

/ ˈkiːpə /

noun

1. a person in charge of animals, esp in a zoo

2. a person in charge of a museum, collection, or section of a museum

3. a person in charge of other people, such as a warder in a jail

4. See goalkeeper wicketkeeper gamekeeper

5. a person who keeps something

6. a device, such as a clip, for keeping something in place

7. a soft iron or steel bar placed across the poles of a permanent magnet to close the magnetic circuit when it is not in use

Other Word Forms

• keeperless adjective
• keepership noun
• underkeeper noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of keeper¹

First recorded in 1250–1300, keeper is from the Middle English word keper. See keep, -er ¹

Example Sentences

Pickford is rightly renowned for his fast reflexes when making stops but, like every modern-day keeper, he is no longer only judged by how good he is with his hands.

Read more on BBC

The forward ran through on goal unchallenged, only for keeper Alisson to rescue Liverpool once more.

Read more on BBC

The France centre-back made a forward movement that indirectly blocked Pope's path to the ball meaning the English keeper was unable to claim the cross.

Read more on BBC

The keeper and defenders have been more willing to punt it up the pitch, too.

Read more on BBC

Delap was tasked strictly with marking the keeper and limiting his freedom of movement without committing a foul.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• attendant 
• caretaker 
• curator 
• custodian 
• defender