safekeeping

American  

[seyf-kee-ping] / ˈseɪfˈki pɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of keeping safe or the state of being kept safe; protection; care; custody.

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safekeeping British  

/ ˈseɪfˈkiːpɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of keeping or state of being kept in safety

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Etymology

Origin of safekeeping

First recorded in 1400–50, safekeeping is from late Middle English safe kepyng. See safe, keeping

Explanation

Safekeeping means protecting or guarding an object. You might put a batch of cupcakes on top of the refrigerator for safekeeping, hoping to keep them safe from your hungry roommates until after dinner. The noun safekeeping almost always comes after the word "for," describing the way you protect something by putting it in a safe place. Voters' ballots might be held by an official for safekeeping until they're counted, and your friend might put your earrings in her pocket for safekeeping while you're at your swimming lesson. Safekeeping is sometimes spelled as two separate words, and it comes from the sense of keeping some object safe.

Example Sentences

During the Napoleonic Wars in the 1810s, it was moved along with other manuscripts to the church of San Bernardo alle Terme in Rome for safekeeping.

From Science Daily • May 17, 2026

It was shipped in tankers to the nearby Port of Manatee and then trucked to facilities like the one behind him, for safekeeping.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

Yet “writers defy time,” Ms. Phillips declares in an essay about literature as safekeeping.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Anthony believes the haul could have belonged to a member of the Roman army, or multiple members, who buried the coins for safekeeping.

From BBC • Oct. 23, 2025

If Blackberry and he had driven the stranger across the field by force, he could have handed him over for safekeeping to Bigwig or Silver.

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams