steward

American  

[stoo-erd, styoo-] / ˈstu ərd, ˈstyu- /

noun

1. a person who manages another's property or financial affairs; one who administers anything as the agent of another or others.

2. a person who has charge of the household of another, buying or obtaining food, directing the servants, etc.

3. an employee who has charge of the table, wine, servants, etc., in a club, restaurant, or the like.

4. a person who attends to the domestic concerns of persons on board a vessel, as in overseeing maids and waiters.

5. an employee on a ship, train, or bus who waits on and is responsible for the comfort of passengers, takes orders for or distributes food, etc.

6. a flight attendant.

7. a person appointed by an organization or group to supervise the affairs of that group at certain functions.

8. U.S. Navy. a petty officer in charge of officer's quarters and mess.

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verb (used with object)

1. to act as steward of; manage.

verb (used without object)

1. to act or serve as steward.

steward British  

/ ˈstjʊəd /

noun

1. a person who administers the property, house, finances, etc, of another

2. a person who manages the eating arrangements, staff, or service at a club, hotel, etc

3. a person who attends to passengers on an aircraft, ship or train

4. a mess attendant in a naval mess afloat or ashore

5. a person who helps to supervise some event or proceedings in an official capacity

6. short for shop steward

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verb

1. to act or serve as a steward (of something)

Other Word Forms

• stewardship noun
• understeward noun

Etymology

Origin of steward

before 900; Middle English; Old English stīweard, stigweard, equivalent to stig- (sense uncertain; probably “house, hall”; sty ¹ ) + weard ward ( def. )

Example Sentences

"So we have to husband those resources and steward them as best we can to achieve the optimal outcome for obviously our own citizens, but also our partners writ large."

From BBC

If he opts for the former, Warsh will likely be a much better steward of the economy than Powell.

From Barron's

“If Jeff Bezos is no longer willing to invest the mission that has defined this paper for generations…then The Post deserves a steward who will.”

From Salon

Community banks like Pacific Valley often serve as stewards of local economies that rely on them for plain-vanilla loans.

From The Wall Street Journal

She became the team’s steward after the death of her brother, who had purchased the franchise in 1997.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• flight attendant
• hostess
• stewardess
• waiter
• waitress