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

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

Her family said she started singing before she could talk and within a few years, she composed a song about a corncob doll that her proud mother transcribed and tucked into a shoebox for safekeeping.

From Salon • Jan. 19, 2026

But her success feels hollow after she reads the diaries that Lila has given her for safekeeping.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025

St Johns' Almshouse, in Sherborne, Dorset, said it received the shock news after giving the altarpiece to Sotheby's auction house for safekeeping during renovation work.

From BBC • Nov. 14, 2025

She had tucked it under the mattress of her bed for safekeeping.

From "The City of Ember" by Jeanne DuPrau