A Steward Was Once the Keeper of the Pigsty
A steward manages property or looks after people. The Old English compound is startlingly humble for a word that became a royal office.
A steward manages someone else's property, or looks after passengers and guests. The Old English *stigweard* is usually read as the keeper of the *sty* or hall, and the office rose spectacularly: the Steward of Scotland gave his name to the royal house of Stuart. Today's stewards run estates, unions and stadium crowds.
- A manager of property. *The estate steward.*
- Someone attending passengers. *A cabin steward.*
- An official at an event. *Stewards directed the crowd.*
- Shop steward — a workplace union representative. *The shop steward raised it.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | steward | A ship's steward. |
| Plural | stewards | Match stewards. |
| Female | stewardess | An air stewardess. |
| Noun | stewardship | Good stewardship. |
| Related | Stuart | The House of Stuart. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Stewards will direct you to your seat.Events.
- The charity speaks of stewardship of the land.Responsible care.
- The shop steward called a meeting.Trade union.
Steward roles
- Estate steward — manages land and property
- Shop steward — elected union representative in a workplace
- Race steward — enforces the rules of a race meeting
- Cabin crew — the modern title replacing steward and stewardess
- Stewardship — responsible management of something entrusted to you
From Old English *stigweard*, from *stig*, a hall or sty, and *weard*, keeper. The Scottish royal surname Stewart, later spelled Stuart in France, comes from the office.
Is the surname Stewart from this word?
Yes. The hereditary High Steward of Scotland gave his family the name, spelled Stuart after time in France.
Steward or cabin crew?
Airlines now say cabin crew or flight attendant. Steward and stewardess sound dated and are gendered.