janitor

noun

jan·​i·​tor ˈja-nə-tər How to pronounce janitor (audio)
1
: one who keeps the premises of a building (such as an apartment or office) clean, tends the heating system, and makes minor repairs
2

Examples of janitor in a Sentence

got a job as the night janitor at the elementary school according to popular Christian tradition, St. Peter acts as janitor at heaven's pearly gates
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Singing janitor, fan-favorite, and now season champion. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 25 Sep. 2024 The school closed its doors in 1955 after dozens of schoolchildren mysteriously went missing, rumored to be captured and killed by the school's janitor, Charlie McFree. Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 23 Oct. 2024 According to the document, Waffle House does not employ dishwashers, kitchen helpers or janitors, but relies on servers to clean the restaurant and wash dishes. Kate Gibson, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2024 The 69-year-old country legend dressed up as Delia Deetz, who was played by Catherine O'Hara in the original Tim Burton film, while Linn, 67, joined in the fun as Danny DeVito's ghostly janitor character in this year's sequel, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for janitor 

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from janus arch, gate

First Known Use

1629, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of janitor was in 1629

Dictionary Entries Near janitor

Cite this Entry

“Janitor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/janitor. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

janitor

noun
jan·​i·​tor ˈjan-ət-ər How to pronounce janitor (audio)
1
2
: a person who has the care of a building
janitorial adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on janitor

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