caretaker

American  

[kair-tey-ker] / ˈkɛərˌteɪ kər /

noun

• caretakers
  plural

1. a person who is in charge of the maintenance of a building, estate, etc.; superintendent.

2. a person or group that temporarily performs the duties of an office.

3. British. a janitor.

4. a person who takes care of another.

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adjective

1. involving the temporary performance of the duties of an office.

   a caretaker government.

caretaker British  

/ ˈkɛəˌteɪkə /

noun

1. a person who is in charge of a place or thing, esp in the owner's absence

   the caretaker of a school

2. (modifier) holding office temporarily; interim

   a caretaker government

3. social welfare a person who takes care of a vulnerable person, often a close relative See also carer

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• caretaking
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• caretakers
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

caretaker caretakers

‘She wants him gone’: My friend took in a homeless man as a caretaker.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026

In her absence, Shadow is the sole caretaker of their two eaglets, Luna and Sandy, meaning he has to bring them meals and defend the nest from potential intruders.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

Keegan was appointed England's caretaker manager for a four-game period after Glenn Hoddle was sacked in February 1999.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

A woman wrote to the caretaker of a collapsed apartment building in Caraballeda, one of the worst-hit areas, about 40 kilometers from Caracas, to say she was still alive, volunteer rescuer Daniel Pino told AFP.

From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026

“I’m caretaker of a small airfield,” he said.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

Barring caretakers, Derek McInnes had already made the worst start of any Rangers manager after three games - now it has stretched to four.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

This sophisticated network is what can get the goods you order to your doorstop in hours, and it provides flexibility for workers who have irregular schedules such as college students and home caretakers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

Because of outstanding leases, third-party caretakers were getting one final season to manage 3,500-odd acres, “through 2026,” added Kiernan, in the announcement.

From Slate ● Apr. 20, 2026

Law-enforcement officials often look at family members and caretakers first when property is transferred or wills and trust are changed.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 30, 2026

When we got to the far end of the orchard, didn’t Daddy look up at the stars, take a deep breath and say, “We are the earth’s caretakers, Ida B.”

From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan

Related Words

• curator
• custodian
• janitor
• keeper
• sitter
• superintendent
• supervisor
• warden