custodian

[ kuh-stoh-dee-uhn ]

noun

1. a person who has custody; keeper; guardian.
2. a person entrusted with guarding or maintaining a property; janitor.

custodian

/ kʌsˈtəʊdɪən /

noun

1. a person who has custody, as of a prisoner, ward, etc
2. a guardian or keeper, as of an art collection, etc

Other Words From

• cus·todi·an·ship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of custodian¹

1775–85; < Latin custōdi ( a ) watchman ( custody ) + -an

Example Sentences

White Correal said the buyer "said something beautiful to me: 'I'm exceptionally happy that I won this lot; but I don't own it, I'm merely the custodian until the next person will come along'."

From BBC

The theater custodian does one last vacuum between the aisles.

From Los Angeles Times

Our own custodian, who had been in the U.S. for 30 years, was swiftly deported and left on the other side of the U.S.–Mexico border with no money, no phone, and no ID.

From Slate

The 39-year-old was a custodian at the college.

From Los Angeles Times

After all, she was workplace-close with Wesley Smith, the custodian at Cahaba Heights Elementary School, in this affluent suburb of Birmingham.

From Salon

Related Words

• curator
• keeper
• overseer
• protector
• steward
• superintendent
• supervisor
• warden
• watchdog