gatekeeper I. \ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷\noun 1.: a person who tends or guards a gate 2.: a mottled brown Old World butterfly (Pararge megaera) II. noun : a person who controls access < family doctors … are often used as gatekeepers to advise patients and refer them to specialists — Robert Pear > • gatekeeping\ˈ ̷ ̷ ˌ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ \adjective