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

• 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

As the group’s timekeeper, Jordan maintains a steady if recognizably human pulse beneath it all,” Wood wrote.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2023

But he insists that in order for that to happen, everyone including the referee, timekeeper, and announcer would have to be in on the ruse.

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

The timekeeper at the finish line later said he had to ask the other kids in the race who’d won because everyone was watching me instead.

From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge

Related Words

• timer