— custodialism , n.
/ku stoh"dee euhl/ , adj.
1. of or pertaining to custody.
2. of, pertaining to, or appropriate to a custodian: a building superintendent's custodial duties.
3. responsible for or providing protective supervision and guardianship rather than seeking to improve or cure: Overcrowding forces many mental hospitals to provide only custodial care.
n.
4. a container or receptacle for something sacred, as the Host.
[ 1765-75; custodi ( a ) CUSTODY + -AL 1 ]