janitor
6 synonyms and 0 antonyms for janitor, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A person employed to clean and maintain a building, such as a school or office.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use janitor
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Latin ianitor, "doorkeeper," from ianua ("door") — the original janitors literally guarded entrances rather than cleaned them.
Full origin of janitor →Frequently asked questions
What does “janitor” mean?
The word “janitor” means a person employed to clean and maintain a building, such as a school or office. In plain terms, someone whose job is keeping a building clean and running smoothly — mostly used in American English (the UK equivalent is usually "caretaker").
How do you pronounce “janitor”?
“Janitor” is pronounced JA-nih-tuh (/ˈd͡ʒænɪtɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “janitor” in a sentence?
Here is “janitor” used in a sentence: “The janitor mopped the hallway after the last class left.”
What is another word for “janitor”?
Words with a similar meaning to “janitor” include caretaker, cleaner, custodian, maintenance person, porter and groundskeeper.
What part of speech is “janitor”?
“Janitor” is a noun.
Where does the word “janitor” come from?
The word “janitor” comes from Latin. From Latin ianitor, "doorkeeper," from ianua ("door") — the original janitors literally guarded entrances rather than cleaned them.
Is “janitor” a common word?
“Janitor” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “janitor” have?
“Janitor” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person employed to clean and maintain a building, such as a school or office.