[a. L. jānitor, f. jānua door, entrance: with agent-suffix -tor.]
1. A door-keeper, porter, ostiary.
c. 1630. Risdon, Surv. Devon, § 44 (1811), 50. One John, sirnamed Janitor, of his office, who … was to keep the prison.
1686. Plot, Staffordsh., 429. The Keys for St Peter, reputed the Ianitor of heaven.
1746. Smollett, Advice, 34. The gaunt, growling janitor of hell.
1762. C. Parkin, Topogr. Freebridge, 144. He is to lay down the cap and cloak, and give it to the janitor to keep.
1876. Farrar, Marlb. Serm., v. 47. Even the heathen saw that toil is the janitor at the gate of virtue.
† 2. An usher in a school. (Cf. DOCTOR sb. 1 b.)
1584. in Grant, Burgh Sch. Scotl., App. 543. Ibid. (1876), II. xiv. 491. In 1661 the doctor or janitor of the grammar school of Cupar had from every bairn at the school his meat day about, or 2s. daily.
Hence Janitoress, Janitress = JANITRIX; Janitorial a., of or pertaining to a janitor; Janitorship, the office of janitor.
1806. Lamb, Lett. (1888), I. 240. The gray-haired Janitress at my door.
1866. J. Fisher, Where shall we get Meat, 121. I … told the janitoress that I did not think there was a Protestant church in the world into which a person would not be permitted to enter and worship.
1885. Chicago Advance, 3 Dec., 779. This lesson in janitorial science.
1893. Columbus (O.) Dispatch, 12 July. The janitorships heretofore have largely been given to men who were known as political hustlers.
1894. Daily Tel., 18 Oct., 5/7. Restored [printed destored] to consciousness by the janitress of the house.
