What does "minder" mean?
One who minds, tends, or watches something such as a child, a machine, or cattle; a keeper.
Minder
name, noun
name, noun ·2 syllables ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One who minds, tends, or watches something such as a child, a machine, or cattle; a keeper.
- Grammar: minder is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: baby minder, babyminder, guardian, protector.
- Usage evidence: Last Christmas Teri Welsh was happily holidaying in Mauritius with her husband Craig, two children, and Pumla, their friend and child minder to 9-year-old Jay, and 2-year-old Kiera.
How to use "minder"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "minder" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "minder" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "minder" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "minder" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "minder" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "baby minder" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "minder", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 One who minds, tends, or watches something such as a child, a machine, or cattle; a keeper.
"With the bulky, heavy helmet for the film strapped on, I was inside a fully immersive virtual world. With de la Peña playing minder and holding a tether which prevented me from bumping into walls, I somehow ended up inside the news story."
- 2 a person who looks after babies (usually in the person's own home) while the babies' parents are working wordnet
- 3 A personal bodyguard. British
- 4 someone (usually in totalitarian countries) who is assigned to watch over foreign visitors wordnet
- 5 A monitor assigned by the authorities to someone, such as a foreign visitor (to exercise control over their contacts with the populace) or a journalist or someone who is speaking to journalists (to monitor and control what they say).
"The twenty-eight journalists who sailed with the task force were accompanied by seven censors or 'minders' from the MoD, as well as by military press officers attached to each unit."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 One who is taken care of, such as a pauper child in the care of private person; a ward. obsolete
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Last Christmas Teri Welsh was happily holidaying in Mauritius with her husband Craig, two children, and Pumla, their friend and child minder to 9-year-old Jay, and 2-year-old Kiera."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "minder"?
Common synonyms include: baby minder, babyminder, guardian, protector.
How do you use "minder" in a sentence?
Last Christmas Teri Welsh was happily holidaying in Mauritius with her husband Craig, two children, and Pumla, their friend and child minder to 9-year-old Jay, and 2-year-old Kiera.
Etymology
From Middle English mynder, mendowre (“one who has a good memory; bears in mind; watches over; a keeper”); equivalent to mind + -er.