custodian
Americannoun
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a person who has custody; keeper; guardian.
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a person entrusted with guarding or maintaining a property; janitor.
noun
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a person who has custody, as of a prisoner, ward, etc
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a guardian or keeper, as of an art collection, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of custodian
1775–85; < Latin custōdi ( a ) watchman ( see custody) + -an
Compare meaning
How does custodian compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
You may know the custodian at your school — the person who's in charge of taking care of the building, in keeping it clean, making sure the heat works, and the roof doesn't leak. The word custodian comes from Latin custos, meaning "guardian," and anyone who looks after something can be a custodian. You might be the custodian of your club's records — you take care of the files and keep them up to date. Or you could be the custodian of the crown jewels — you hold the keys to the treasury and it's your job to make sure the jewels don't get lost or stolen.
Vocabulary lists containing custodian
Frindle
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Unit 1: Ecological Systems
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Awkward
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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.
And Custodian Golf consultancy reports that nearly 20% of clubs are financially at risk, a factor that could influence decisions to release land for housing.
From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026
Custodian banks are responsible for protecting investors’ assets, with strict rules on what they can do with them.
From New York Times • Dec. 16, 2022
This Shaker-style flat broom is made by hand by Brooklynite Erin Rouse of Custodian Studio on an 1890s broom machine.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 2, 2022
Its king holds the title of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, in reference to Islam’s two holiest sites.
From Washington Post • May 24, 2019
Behind him, a transparent Aboriginal Custodian whispers calmly his Dreamtime story of creation by a fish.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
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.
