housekeeper
Americannoun
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a person, often hired, who does or directs the domestic work and planning necessary for a home, as cleaning or buying food.
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an employee of a hotel, hospital, etc., who supervises the cleaning staff.
noun
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a person, esp a woman, employed to run a household
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a person who is not an efficient and thrifty domestic manager
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a person who is an efficient and thrifty domestic manager
Other Word Forms
- housekeeperlike adjective
Etymology
Origin of housekeeper
First recorded in 1375–1425, housekeeper is from the late Middle English word houskeper. See house, keeper
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.
The character of housekeeper Edna Garrett, played by Charlotte Rae, was spun off in 1979 into a second hit series, “Facts of Life,” which ran until 1988.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
And Ellie, his former housekeeper, appreciates Dillahan’s subdued affection.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026
A collection of items from English crime author Agatha Christie's housekeeper are set to make more than £1,000 at auction.
From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026
Maybe the housekeeper, a plant of the obsessed doctor’s, did it?
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 20, 2026
To my mind she was same as saying that Granny was a dirty housekeeper.
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
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.
