What does keeper mean?
A keeper is someone who keeps or has charge of something. The most traditional sense is a person responsible for guarding a place or maintaining a particular possession: a lighthouse keeper, a storekeeper, or a prison keeper. The word is also widely used in football and other sports for a goalkeeper, as in a shot being stopped by the keeper. In broader figurative use, a keeper may preserve traditions, records, institutions, or other things understood as valuable. Phrases such as 'keeper of the gate' and 'keeper of old traditions' show the word's long-standing association with responsibility and preservation. Although the core sense is one of looking after or protecting, 'keeper' is not limited to active physical guarding; it can imply stewardship, control, or continued possession. In informal speech, calling something 'a keeper' means that it is especially good or worth retaining. The word is equally natural in British and American English, though 'goalkeeper' is often the more formal sports term.
A person who keeps, guards, manages, or maintains something; especially a person responsible for a place, animal, object, or collection. In sport, it also means goalkeeper.
"The zoo keeper was preparing food for the elephants."
In sports usage, 'keeper' is familiar and often interchangeable with 'goalkeeper'. The informal expression 'a keeper' means something worth keeping or considered especially good.
Archaic: to keep, retain, or preserve.
"The old covenant keepereth the promises made to the people."
This verbal use is archaic and survives mainly in formal or literary language.
The standard plural of the noun is 'keepers'.
"The keepers of the two wildlife reserves met to discuss conservation."
From lighthouse lanterns to football goals, a keeper is the person entrusted with holding a place or line.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
Related word forms
How keeper is actually used
The word is broadly neutral and familiar. In sport, especially association football, 'keeper' is a common informal alternative to 'goalkeeper'; in informal English, 'a keeper' can also mean something highly valued.
Easily confused with keeper
A keeper watches, guards, or maintains something, whereas a carer provides personal or practical care to another person.