caretaker
Americannoun
-
a person who is in charge of the maintenance of a building, estate, etc.; superintendent.
-
a person or group that temporarily performs the duties of an office.
-
British. a janitor.
-
a person who takes care of another.
adjective
noun
-
a person who is in charge of a place or thing, esp in the owner's absence
the caretaker of a school
-
(modifier) holding office temporarily; interim
a caretaker government
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Shining
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
A Boy Called Bat
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Manchester United chiefs are expected to recommend that Carrick be appointed as permanent manager following his impressive spell as caretaker, during which he has won 66.7% of his games in charge.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
Another possible answer is that throughout their relationship, Megan publicly portrayed the role of feminine caretaker.
From Salon • Apr. 30, 2026
There are treatment programs and support groups for people who suffer from spending problems, and meetings like Al-Anon for people like you and your husband who have been given the role of caretaker.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026
While there are some noises about having a so-called caretaker leader, many MPs would be reluctant to do this.
From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026
I wear the army trousers our caretaker gave me with a thin collared shirt Tess found in a garbage bin.
From "Legend" by Marie Lu
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.
