Word of the Day: STEWARDSHIP
Pronunciation:
/ˈstjuː.əd.ʃɪp/ (STYOO-ərd-ship)

Meaning:
Stewardship is the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care, particularly assets, duties, or public goods that are not fully owned by the person managing them.

Origin and Etymology:
The word stewardship originates from the Middle English stiward, meaning household guardian. In medieval times, a steward managed the estate of a noble or monarch, handling finances, staff, and logistics. By the 17th century, stewardship emerged to describe this role more broadly, evolving to mean ethical or custodial management.

In modern times, it is widely used in:

Environmental discourse (e.g., climate stewardship)
Religious teachings (e.g., caretakers of creation)
Corporate ethics (e.g., governance and social responsibility)

Examples in Literature:
“Christian saw a need to make economies in just about every area of state activity and, among many other things, immediately withdrew the mainland estates granted to Tycho by Frederick II from his stewardship.”— The Scientists by John Gribbin

“By collective stewardship of the land and a clan-village system of democracy, it avoided giving all the political control and decision-making to a single group.”— An Indigenous People’s History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Example Sentences:

The NGO takes pride in its stewardship of donated funds, ensuring every rupee is used responsibly.

Effective environmental stewardship is key to securing a sustainable future for the planet.

Synonyms:
Management
Supervision
Oversight
Administration
Custodianship