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definitions

caretaker

[kair-tey-ker]
See more synonyms for caretaker on Thesaurus.com
noun
  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.
adjective
  1. involving the temporary performance of the duties of an office: a caretaker government.

Origin of caretaker

First recorded in 1855–60; care + taker
Related formscare·tak·ing, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for caretaking

affectionate, careful, comforting, devoted, fond, gentle, kind, loving, maternal, nurturing, protective, supporting, sympathetic, tender, warm, watchful, caretaking, protecting

Examples from the Web for caretaking

Contemporary Examples of caretaking

  • And the caretaking is all part of the “going for a broken person” and trying to fix them.

    The Daily Beast logo

  • To have been caretaking and managing the complicated medical issues, to be with Teddy every second, was just draining.

    The Daily Beast logo
    Life After Teddy

    Lloyd Grove

    December 10, 2009

Historical Examples of caretaking

  • They left the woman to lock up the house and return to her caretaking, and started off up the street.

    Mrs. Vanderstein's jewels

    Mrs. Charles Bryce

  • Out of the earnings I have withheld my wages as a workman in the mine last winter, and a moderate charge for caretaking since.

    The Helpers

    Francis Lynde

  • They respond well to all caretaking, to liberal fertilizing and watering, just as they dwindle miserably with neglect.

    Old-Time Gardens

    Alice Morse Earle

  • The Convention was composed of the most orderly, caretaking and reputable of men, and the author of the draught was one of them.

  • Best of all, she would regather during the hour not a little strength to be used later in the caretaking of her children.

    Farm Boys and Girls

    William Arch McKeever

British Dictionary definitions for caretaking

caretaker

noun
  1. a person who is in charge of a place or thing, esp in the owner's absencethe caretaker of a school
  2. (modifier) holding office temporarily; interima caretaker government
  3. social welfare a person who takes care of a vulnerable person, often a close relativeSee also carer
Derived Formscaretaking, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012