different between housekeeper vs caretaker

English

Etymology

From house +? keeper.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /?ha?skip?/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?ha?ski?p?/
• Hyphenation: house?keep?er

Noun

housekeeper (plural housekeepers)

1. (now rare) Someone who owns a house as a place of residence; a householder. [from 15th c.]
   • 1751, Tobias Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle, I.1:

     He was often heard to express his fears of coming upon the parish; and to bless God, that, on account of his having been so long a housekeeper, he was intitled to that provision.

2. Someone (traditionally a woman) employed to look after the home, typically by managing domestic servants or superintending household management; also someone with equivalent duties in a hotel, institution etc. [from 16th c.]

   She was their third housekeeper, but after a month or so she also gave up.

3. Someone who manages the running of a home, traditionally the female head of the household. [from 17th c.]
4. (colloquial, now rare) Someone who keeps to their house; someone who rarely ventures away from home; an unadventurous person, a homebody. [from 18th c.]
   • 1915, John Buchan, Salute to Adventurers:

     I do assure you he is no house-keeper. I have seen him in desperate conflict with savage men, and even with His Majesty's redcoats.

Coordinate terms

• housemaid

Translations

English

Etymology

From care +? taker.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /?k???te?.k?/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /?k???te?.k?/

Noun

caretaker (plural caretakers)

1. Someone who takes care of a place or thing; someone looking after a place, or responsible for keeping it in good repair.

   Synonyms: (British) concierge, janitor

2. Someone who takes care of a person; a parent, carer or other guardian.

Translations

Adjective

caretaker (not comparable)

1. (chiefly Britain) Temporary, on a short term basis.

   Synonym: interim

Translations