janitor
UK: ˈdʒæn.ɪ.tər | US: ˈdʒæn.ə.t̬ɚ
n. a person employed to clean and maintain a building, especially a school or office
n. (archaic) a doorkeeper or porter
janitor = jani<door> + tor<agent suffix>
- jani (from Latin ianua meaning "door")
- tor (Latin agent suffix indicating "one who does," akin to -or in "actor")
Etymology Origin:
The word "janitor" traces back to Latin ianitor, derived from ianua (door). In Roman mythology, Janus was the two-faced god of doors, gates, and transitions—symbolizing beginnings and endings. The term originally referred to a doorkeeper, reflecting Janus’s role as a guardian of thresholds. Over time, its meaning shifted to denote a caretaker of buildings, emphasizing maintenance over guardianship.
The janitor locks the school every evening.
She thanked the janitor for fixing the leaky faucet.
In ancient Rome, a janitor guarded the temple entrance.
The office janitor empties the trash bins daily.
He worked as a janitor before becoming a building supervisor.