noun
janitor
JAN-ih-ter/ˈdʒænɪtər/
A person employed to clean and maintain a building.
The janitor mops the hallway beside a wheeled cleaning bucket.
Etymology
The door root and person-forming suffix originally named a doorkeeper. The role broadened from attending an entrance to caring for the building and keeping its rooms clean and orderly.
In context
the janitor has to walk in and squeegee that whole place out
More examples
- Our school janitor replaces burned-out light bulbs.
- The office hires a janitor to clean after everyone leaves.
- Two janitors keep the restrooms clean and stocked with soap.
Forms
janitor · janitors
janitorial adjective — Related to cleaning and maintaining buildings.
Similar words
- custodian
- Often emphasizes overall building care as well as cleaning.
- cleaner
- Focuses on cleaning rather than general building maintenance.
- caretaker
- Emphasizes looking after property, sometimes including grounds and security.