'timekeeper' originates from the combination of 'time' and 'keeper', where 'time' refers to the measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues, and 'keeper' refers to a person who manages or looks after something.

'timekeeper' evolved from the Middle English word 'time' and 'keeper', which were combined to form the modern English word 'timekeeper'.

Initially, it meant 'a person who keeps track of time', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.