tollkeeper

1 8.7

A person who collects money from people using a road, bridge, or gate

noun
/ˈtoʊlˌkiːpər/

Archaic

: peaje

The tollkeeper greeted us with a smile as we handed over our payment.

Examples

Every time we traveled this road, we had to stop to pay the tollkeeper.
The waggoner argues with the road's tollkeeper.

Fiction book (1998)
The tollkeeper collected fees from each vehicle passing over the bridge.

Synonyms

toll collector

vstollkeeper

1 3.1

A person who takes money from drivers at a road or bridge

applies more generally to fee collection, not only from drivers

toll taker

vstollkeeper

1 4.4

A person who collects money from drivers at a toll booth

covers broader locations like gates, bridges, or roads rather than booths

tollman

vstollkeeper

Archaic

1 8.0

A man who collects money from drivers at a toll gate

is the neutral term not limited by worker gender

toller

vstollkeeper

9.9

A person who collects money from drivers at a bridge or road

is used for workers at gates, bridges, or roads only

tollgatherer

vstollkeeper

Archaic

9.9

A person who takes money from people using a road, bridge or ferry

is focused on gates, bridges, and roads rather than ferries

tollwoman

vstollkeeper

Archaic

8.1

A woman who collects money from drivers at a toll booth

is the neutral term used regardless of the worker's gender

toll agent

vstollkeeper

4.9

A person who collects money from drivers at a toll booth

is the everyday word for someone doing this job generally

Surface Forms

tollkeeper singular

tollkeepers plural

Morphology

tollkeeper = toll + keeper (transparent) = toll + keeper

The meaning is a straightforward compound of 'toll' and 'keeper'—a person who keeps/collects tolls.

Etymology

Tollkeeper breaks into toll and keeper. The toll part comes from an old German word meaning 'tax', as in modern German 'Zoll', and keeper means 'one who looks after', so a tollkeeper is someone who stays at a gate or bridge to collect the fee.