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 While working as a janitor at Frito Lay, Montañez played a crucial role in transforming Flamin’ Hot Cheetos from an option on the chip shelf into a pop culture phenomenon. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2024 One striker wants to retire but can’t One of those on the picket lines Monday was George Mullins, 66, who has worked as a janitor cleaning office buildings for 35 years. Chris Isidore, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 This donation is the sum of 136 hours of his labor in the prison working as a porter/janitor. Maham Javaid, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024 In the original movie, Toxie is a 98-pound janitor named Melvin Junko who, after falling into an oil drum filled with toxic waste, becomes an unlikely vigilante in his New Jersey town. Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Feb. 2024 Pearson did so well that a cabinetry company in Scottsdale hired him as a janitor. The Arizona Republic, 21 Jan. 2024 The janitors have all kinds of immigration statuses, ranging from Temporary Protected Status to citizenship. Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2024 The janitors were employed by companies that were contracted and subcontracted by the restaurant chain, according to the Maintenance Cooperation Trust Fund, a statewide watchdog group that investigates allegations of law violations in the workplace. City News Service, Orange County Register, 23 Jan. 2024 Sure, as long as it’s loaded up with battering 808s and sounds like it was recorded in a janitor’s closet. Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 19 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'janitor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 19 Mar. 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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