housekeeper

noun

house·​keep·​er ˈhau̇s-ˌkē-pər How to pronounce housekeeper (audio)
Synonyms of housekeepernext
1
: one employed to manage the domestic duties involved in maintaining a house
2
: a member of a household who manages the domestic duties of the household
She was her father's housekeeper …—Lucy Maud Montgomery
especially : one who keeps house in a specified way
was always a good/poor housekeeper
… a tidy housekeeper who kept flowers outside his unit … —Kyle Swenson

Synonyms of housekeeper

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Examples of housekeeper in a Sentence

they hired a housekeeper to help their aging parents live at home
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Sandy Shannon, 62, a guest at the hotel, said a woman was sprayed on the fourth floor, with two housekeepers coming to her aid. — Theodore Parisienne, New York Daily News, 29 June 2026 Jenner is facing two other lawsuits by former housekeepers. — Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 25 June 2026 She was then given to another family and essentially served as their housekeeper and caretaker from that point onward. — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 26 June 2026 When Mun-oh later confronts Kang, the student reveals that Min-hui was never the family’s housekeeper. — Kayti Burt, Time, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for housekeeper

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1528, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of housekeeper was circa 1528

Rhymes for housekeeper

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Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Housekeeper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/housekeeper. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

housekeeper

noun
house·​keep·​er ˈhau̇-ˌskē-pər How to pronounce housekeeper (audio)
: a person employed to take care of a house

More from Merriam-Webster on housekeeper

Nglish: Translation of housekeeper for Spanish Speakers

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