Steward

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈstjuː.É™(ɹ)d/
• Hyphenation: stew + ard

Origin

From Middle English, from Old English stīweard, stīġweard ("steward, housekeeper, one who has the superintendence of household affairs, guardian"), from stīġ in the sense house, hall + weard ("ward, guard, guardian, keeper").

American Heritage Dictionary

Oxford Online Dictionary

Compare Icelandic stívarður ("steward"). More at sty, ward.

Full definition of steward

Noun

1. A person who manages the property or affairs for another entity.
2. A ship's officer who is in charge of making dining arrangements and provisions.
3. A flight attendant, especially but not exclusively a male flight attendant. Often as "air steward", "airline steward", etc.
4. A union member who is selected as a representative for fellow workers in negotiating terms with management.
5. A person who has charge of buildings and/or grounds and/or animals.
6. A fiscal agent of certain bodies.
   a steward in a Methodist church
7. In some colleges, an officer who provides food for the students and superintends the kitchen; also, an officer who attends to the accounts of the students.
8. In Scotland, a magistrate appointed by the crown to exercise jurisdiction over royal lands.
9. In information technology, somebody who is responsible for managing a set of projects, products or technologies and how they affect the IT organization to which they belong.

Synonyms

• (union member) shop steward
• (person in charge of buildings, grounds, etc.) custodian, keeper

Derived terms

• shop steward
• stewardly
• stewardry
• understeward

Hyponyms

• stewardess

Verb

1. To act as the steward or caretaker of (something)
• 2007, May 1, Richard G. Jones, An Acting Governor’s Balancing Act: Taking the Lead Without Stepping on Toes, Assemblyman John S. Wisniewski, a Democrat from Middlesex County, said, “It’s an uncomfortable situation,” but added that Mr. Codey is nevertheless “ably stewarding the state.”

Anagrams

• swarted