noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/kəˈstoʊdiən/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -əʊdiən
CMU ARPABET:K AH0 S T OW1 D IY0 AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A person entrusted with the custody or care of something or someone; a caretaker or keeper.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
After their parents' death, their aunt became the children's custodian.
The building's custodian could fix nearly anything. The place always looked great!
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
An administrator.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A gaolkeeper.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A protector or guard.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A janitor; a cleaner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Canada, US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
one having charge of buildings or grounds or animals
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Narrower terms: caretaker, curator, conservator, gamekeeper, game warden, greenskeeper, house sitter, janitor, lighthouse keeper, pet sitter, critter sitter, zoo keeper
History
Etymology
From a shortening of Latin custōdiānātus, from Latin custōdia (“a keeping, watch, guard, prison”), from custōs (“a keeper, watchman, guard”). By surface analysis, custody + -ian.
Across languages
Translations
68 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Azerbaijani:
qəyyum
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Bulgarian:
попечи́тел
(popečítel)
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Bulgarian:
попечи́телка
(popečítelka)
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Chinese Mandarin:
監護人 /监护人
(jiānhùrén)
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Czech:
opatrovník
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Czech:
poručník
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Czech:
správce
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Czech:
hlídač
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Czech:
dozorce
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Danish:
formynder
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Danish:
værge
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Dutch:
bewaarder
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Dutch:
voogd
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Dutch:
beheerder
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Finnish:
huoltaja
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
French:
gardien
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
French:
gardienne
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
German:
Hüter
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
German:
Hüterin
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
German:
Kustos
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
German:
Schützer
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
German:
Schützerin
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
German:
Vormund
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
German:
Hausverwalter
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
German:
Hausverwalterin
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
German:
Hausmeister
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Hindi:
अभिरक्षक
(abhirakṣak)
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Indonesian:
wali
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Italian:
custode
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Japanese:
保管人
(hokannin)
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Korean:
보관인
(bogwanin)
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Latin:
curator
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Latin:
curatrix
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Macedonian:
ста́рател
(stáratel)
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Macedonian:
стара́телка
(starátelka)
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Macedonian:
на́стојник
(nástojnik)
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Macedonian:
насто́јница
(nastójnica)
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Portuguese:
guardião
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Portuguese:
zelador
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Romanian:
custode
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Russian:
опеку́н
(opekún)
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Russian:
попечи́тель
(popečítelʹ)
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Russian:
попечи́тельница
(popečítelʹnica)
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Spanish:
custodio
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Spanish:
custodia
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Spanish:
depositario
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Spanish:
depositaria
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Swedish:
förmyndare
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Tagalog:
taga-ingat
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Thai:
ผู้ปกครอง
(pûu-bpòk-krɔɔng)
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Turkish:
bekçi
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Turkish:
koruyan
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Turkish:
nazır
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Turkish:
vasi
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
Turkish:
yönetici
— a person entrusted with the custody or care
