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keep·er

(kēpər)

1. One that keeps, especially:

a. An attendant, a guard, or a warden.

b. One that has the charge or care of something: a lion keeper; the keeper of the budget.

c. A stationary fitting that catches or holds a moving part such as a latch or bolt.

d. Sports A goalkeeper.

2. Football A play made by the quarterback who keeps the ball after it is snapped and then runs with it.

3. Informal One that is worth keeping, especially a fish large enough to be legally caught and not returned to the water.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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