custodian

From Medieval Latin *custōdiānus (“the office of a custōdia”), implied in custōdiānātus, from Latin custōdia (“a keeping, watch, guard, prison”), from custōs (“a keeper, watchman, guard”).

• IPA^(key): /kəˈstoʊdiən/
• Rhymes: -əʊdiən

custodian (plural custodians)

1. A person entrusted with the custody or care of something or someone; a caretaker or keeper.

   After their parents' death, their aunt became the children's custodian.

   The building's custodian could fix nearly anything. The place always looked great!

2. (US, Canada) a janitor; a cleaner

   The custodian does such admirable work, deftly wielding a mop to keep our hallways and sidewalks free of buai pekpek left by people who chew betelnuts to be "cool" but don't even bother finding a rubbish bin or spit cup to dispose of the pekpek with.

• custodianship

• custodial
• custody

• custodian in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• custodian in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911
• custodian at OneLook Dictionary Search

custodian

1. third-person plural present indicative of custodiar