A caretaker is a person whose job it is to look after a large building such as a school or a block of flats or apartments, and deal with small repairs to it.
[British]regional note: in AM, use janitor
2. countable noun
A caretaker is a person whose job it is to take care of a house or property when the owner is not there.
3. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
A caretaker government or leader is in charge temporarily until a new government or leader is appointed.
The military intends to hand over power to a caretaker government.
Synonyms: temporary, holding, short-term, interim More Synonyms of caretaker
4. countable noun
A caretaker is someone who is responsible for looking after another person, for example, a person who has a disability, or is ill or very young.
[mainly US]regional note: in BRIT, use carer
More Synonyms of caretaker
caretaker in British English
(ˈkɛəˌteɪkə)
noun
1.
a person who is in charge of a place or thing, esp in the owner's absence
the caretaker of a school
2. (modifier)
holding office temporarily; interim
a caretaker government
3. social welfare
a person who takes care of a vulnerable person, often a close relative
See also carer
Derived forms
caretaking (ˈcareˌtaking)
noun
caretaker in American English
(ˈkɛrˌteɪkər)
noun
1.
a person hired to take care of something or someone, esp. of a house, estate, etc. for an owner who is not always in residence; custodian
2.
a person temporarily carrying out the duties as of an office
3.
a person who takes care of someone else; often, specif., caregiver
adjective
4.
holding power temporarily; interim
a caretaker government
Examples of 'caretaker' in a sentence
caretaker
He called the caretaker of the building who went into the flat to find her body.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
This would mean the appointment of a caretaker government.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The job of a caretaker and a permanent manager are very different.
The Sun (2012)
One scenario could see a caretaker leader installed to take the party through the next general election.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The normal constitutional procedure would have been for them to continue in a caretaker government.
Grenville, J. A. S. The Collins History of the World in the 20th Century (1994)
The retired school caretaker has previously said they had no plans to leave because it holds so many happy memories.
The Sun (2015)
The injury cost him his job as caretaker and health and safety chief and the house that came with it.
The Sun (2008)
England's caretaker boss names his squad today.
The Sun (2012)
He is favoured as an extended caretaker leader by the 11 petitioners.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The caretaker Government accepted this week that it could not continue without external aid amid punishing borrowing costs.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
I enjoy my roles as mum and caretaker of the house.
The Sun (2008)
Neither country has been able to build a new government after elections in June and both are being run by caretaker leaders.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
His father was an Italian immigrant, a bricklayer and latterly a school caretaker.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Within 24 hours, five members of the caretaker government had succumbed to public pressure to quit.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
There was no political motive, because the character of the caretaker Government is apolitical.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Officers pounced on the 26-year-old school caretaker at 3am after keeping him under surveillance for at least a week.
The Sun (2007)
In other languages
caretaker
British English: caretaker /ˈkɛəˌteɪkə/ NOUN
A caretaker is someone who looks after a building and the area around it.
American English: caretaker
Arabic: حَارِس
Brazilian Portuguese: zelador
Chinese: 看管者
Croatian: pazikuća
Czech: správce
Danish: vicevært
Dutch: conciërge
European Spanish: conserje
Finnish: talonmies
French: gardien
German: Hausmeister
Greek: επιστάτης
Italian: custode
Japanese: 管理人
Korean: 관리인
Norwegian: vaktmester
Polish: dozorca
European Portuguese: zelador
Romanian: paznic
Russian: смотритель
Latin American Spanish: conserje
Swedish: vaktmästare
Thai: ผู้รับจ้างดูแล
Turkish: bakıcı apartman, ev
Ukrainian: доглядач
Vietnamese: người trông coi
Chinese translation of 'caretaker'
caretaker
(ˈkɛəteɪkəʳ)
n(c)
(Brit)[of building]看门(門)人 (kānménrén) (个(個), gè)
美 = janitor
(US)[of person]照顾(顧)者 (zhàogùzhě)
英 = carer
(noun)
Definition
a person employed to look after a place or thing
The caretaker sleeps in the building all night.
Synonyms
warden
He was a warden at the local parish church.
keeper
the keeper of the library at the V&A
porter (British)
a porter at the block of flats
superintendent (US)
a building superintendent
curator
custodian
the custodian of the holy shrine in Mecca
watchman
He worked for ten years as a watchman in a factory.
janitor
My mother was the janitor in the town school.
concierge
(adjective)
Definition
performing the duties of an office temporarily
The administration intends to hand over power to a caretaker government.
Synonyms
temporary
She was working as a temporary teacher at a Belfast school.