keeper

[ kee-per ]

noun

1. a person who guards or watches, as at a prison or gate.

   Synonyms: jailer, warden

2. a person who assumes responsibility for another's behavior:

   He refused to be his brother's keeper.

   Synonyms: guardian, custodian

3. a person who owns or operates a business (usually used in combination):

   a hotelkeeper.

4. a person who is responsible for the maintenance of something (often used in combination):

   a zookeeper; a groundskeeper.

5. a person charged with responsibility for the preservation and conservation of something valuable, as a curator or game warden.
6. a person who conforms to or abides by a requirement:

   a keeper of his word.

7. a fish that is of sufficient size to be caught and retained without violating the law.
8. Football. a play in which the quarterback retains the ball and runs with it, usually after faking a hand-off or pass.
9. something that serves to hold in place, retain, etc., as on a door lock.
10. something that lasts well, as a fruit.
11. guard ring.
12. an iron or steel bar placed across the poles of a permanent horseshoe magnet for preserving the strength of the magnet during storage.

keeper

/ ˈkiːpə /

noun

1. a person in charge of animals, esp in a zoo
2. a person in charge of a museum, collection, or section of a museum
3. a person in charge of other people, such as a warder in a jail
4. See goalkeeper wicketkeeper gamekeeper
5. a person who keeps something
6. a device, such as a clip, for keeping something in place
7. a soft iron or steel bar placed across the poles of a permanent magnet to close the magnetic circuit when it is not in use

Derived Forms

• ˈkeeperˌship, noun
• ˈkeeperless, adjective

Other Words From

• keeper·less adjective
• keeper·ship noun
• under·keeper noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of keeper¹

First recorded in 1250–1300, keeper is from the Middle English word keper. See keep, -er ¹

Example Sentences

Kelleher is often called the best back-up keeper in the world - and nearly always performs when he gets his chance.

From BBC

Kelleher is older than incoming Reds keeper Mamardashvili, who has played 178 club matches, and even Italy's Gianluigi Donnarumma - who has played 402 times for AC Milan and Paris St-Germain.

From BBC

It put England on the way to triumph, confirmed late on by a second goal when Jude Bellingham's shot bounced in off Greece keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos, then a flash of genius from debutant Curtis Jones.

From BBC

He was on video assistant referee duty for the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in October 2020 when Virgil van Dijk sustained a season-ending knee injury after a reckless challenge in the area by Everton keeper Jordan Pickford, with no penalty being awarded.

From BBC

But they waited until lighthouse keeper, Barry Miller, arrived before they opened it.

From BBC

Related Words

• attendant
• caretaker
• curator
• custodian
• defender