steward

American  

[stoo-erd, styoo-] / ˈstu ərd, ˈstyu- /

noun

1. a person who manages another's property or financial affairs; one who administers anything as the agent of another or others.

2. a person who has charge of the household of another, buying or obtaining food, directing the servants, etc.

3. an employee who has charge of the table, wine, servants, etc., in a club, restaurant, or the like.

4. a person who attends to the domestic concerns of persons on board a vessel, as in overseeing maids and waiters.

5. an employee on a ship, train, or bus who waits on and is responsible for the comfort of passengers, takes orders for or distributes food, etc.

6. a flight attendant.

7. a person appointed by an organization or group to supervise the affairs of that group at certain functions.

8. U.S. Navy. a petty officer in charge of officer's quarters and mess.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to act as steward of; manage.

verb (used without object)

1. to act or serve as steward.

steward British  

/ ˈstjʊəd /

noun

1. a person who administers the property, house, finances, etc, of another

2. a person who manages the eating arrangements, staff, or service at a club, hotel, etc

3. a person who attends to passengers on an aircraft, ship or train

4. a mess attendant in a naval mess afloat or ashore

5. a person who helps to supervise some event or proceedings in an official capacity

6. short for shop steward

---

verb

1. to act or serve as a steward (of something)

Other Word Forms

• stewardship
  noun
• understeward
  noun

Etymology

Origin of steward

before 900; Middle English; Old English stīweard, stigweard, equivalent to stig- (sense uncertain; probably “house, hall”; see sty ¹) + weard ward ( def. )

Explanation

A steward is someone who takes care of the grounds or animals of a particular place. If your parents are always traveling and you have to take care of your six younger siblings, you probably feel like the steward of the house. You might have heard the term "stewardess," a female flight attendant, but the name has trickled out of use in favor of the gender-neutral "flight attendant." A steward is the male version of that. Anyone who takes care of places or people is a steward. You can be a steward of artifacts from an architectural dig. You can also be elected to be the steward of your co-workers retirement fund. Either way, someone's trusting you with their stuff.

Example Sentences

“We had a very different mindset back then,” Alicia Fuller, managing director at Steward Partners, whose firm saw “a good backdrop”—though not perfect—for multiple interest rate cuts heading into 2026.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

Edward was, by then, bracing himself against the water in the doorway of the Twins II cabin, where Cile Steward and 22 other girls were stranded.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

Freddie Steward caught it, kicked a pinpoint bomb across to Billy Searle, who fed inside to Gabriel Hamer-Webb to streak in to secure Leicester's own four-try bonus.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

"We are seeing a galaxy transforming in live action," said Himansh Rathore, a graduate student at Steward Observatory and the lead author of the paper.

From Science Daily • Mar. 20, 2026

The Stinky Steward rose and fell as waves smashed against her hull.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Related Words

• flight attendant
• hostess
• stewardess
• waiter
• waitress