timekeeper

American  

[tahym-kee-per] / ˈtaɪmˌki pər /

noun

1. a person or thing that keeps time.

2. an official appointed to time, regulate, and record the duration of a sports contest or its component parts, as to give the official time of a race, assure that a round of boxing is ended exactly on time, or announce to football, basketball, hockey, etc., teams the amount of time left to play.

3. a timepiece.

   This watch is a good timekeeper.

4. a person employed to keep account of the hours of work done by others.

5. a person who beats time in music.

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timekeeper British  

/ ˈtaɪmˌkiːpə /

noun

1. a person or thing that keeps or records time

2. an employee who maintains a record of the hours worked by the other employees

3. a device for indicating time; timepiece

4. an employee with respect to his or her record of punctuality

   a good timekeeper

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• timekeeping
  noun

Etymology

Origin of timekeeper

First recorded in 1680–90; time + keeper

Example Sentences

He had dozens of jobs, including stockroom clerk, timekeeper, accountant and city inspector, as well as myriad positions in newspaper journalism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

Later matches were overseen by two umpires, one provided by each team with an on-field referee — often the game’s timekeeper — breaking the tie in particularly sticky situations.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 14, 2025

It's why that infamous win in Tennessee likely occurred from a combination of timekeeper error, rare wasteful shooting from the Globetrotters, and a legendary General who could get away with it.

From BBC • Aug. 22, 2023

Our internal biological timekeeper, or circadian clock, regulates many aspects of our physiology and behavior.

From Salon • Aug. 3, 2023

And all because he had needed an accurate timekeeper for his astronomical work.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin

Related Words

• timer