custodial

American

[kuh-stoh-dee-uhl] / kʌˈstoʊ di əl /

adjective

of or relating to custody.
of, relating to, or appropriate to a custodian.

a building superintendent's custodial duties.
responsible for or providing protective supervision and guardianship rather than seeking to improve or cure.

Overcrowding forces many mental hospitals to provide only custodial care.

noun

a container or receptacle for something sacred, as the Host.

Other Word Forms

custodialism noun
noncustodial adjective

Etymology

Origin of custodial

1765–75; < Latin custōdi ( a ) custody + -al ¹

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.

Acorns offers custodial brokerage accounts and matches 1% on up to $7,000 of deposits per year.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

Schwab’s Craig said he opened custodial brokerage accounts for his own children when they were minors and discussed investment decisions with them, but he wishes they had participated more in the process.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

Subscriptions and services revenue, which includes custodial fees and staking—locking up assets for a fee to verify blockchain transactions—exceeded transaction revenue for the first quarter ever.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

The phony tension derives from Diem’s custodial grandparents refusing to let Kenna meet her own child.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026

The custodial staff brought risers out and set up a stage on the grass.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023