el barrendero

Meaning (in English)

Barrendero means street sweeper or someone whose job is to sweep streets and public areas, removing dirt, leaves, and trash. It can refer to a person working for a city sanitation/cleaning service.

In some contexts, it can also be used more generally for a sweeper/cleaner (someone who sweeps), though the most common use is for street sweeping.

Parts of the word

• barrer = to sweep
• -dero = a suffix that often indicates a person or thing associated with an action or function
  So barrendero literally suggests “a person who sweeps.”

Spanish synonyms

• limpiador / limpiadora (cleaner; broader and more general)
• personal de limpieza (cleaning staff)
• operario de limpieza (cleaning worker)
• empleado de limpieza urbana (urban cleaning employee; more formal)
• escobero (regional/less common)

Spanish antonyms (if applicable)

There isn’t a single direct antonym, but depending on meaning, possible opposites include:

• ensuciador (someone who dirties; uncommon)
• contaminador (polluter)
• sucio (dirty; as an adjective, not a job title)