churchwarden
Americannoun
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Anglican Church. a lay officer who looks after the secular affairs of the church, and who, in England, is the legal representative of the parish.
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Episcopal Church. a lay church officer who, with other members of the vestry, is in charge of the temporal management of the parish.
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a long-stemmed clay pipe for smoking.
noun
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Church of England Episcopal Church one of two assistants of a parish priest who administer the secular affairs of the church
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a long-stemmed tobacco pipe made of clay
Etymology
Origin of churchwarden
1400–50; late Middle English chirche wardeyn
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Some of the old guard were worried about theft, but we were determined to be open and available to the whole community," says churchwarden Robert Allen.
From BBC • Oct. 10, 2019
“We’re overrun,” says the man, a churchwarden reluctant to give his name for fear of offending the diocese of Ely.
From The Guardian • Jul. 29, 2017
Unlike some other Suffolk churches, All Saints Church in Acton is kept locked during the day, so it’s essential to contact churchwarden Chris Moss if you’d like to see the De Bures brass.
From Washington Post • Nov. 6, 2015
Or that, perhaps, his churchwarden ended up shattering, upon meeting the floor, three years ago in January.
From New York Times • Mar. 4, 2012
Being churchwarden at the time the present peal of bells were hung.
From Curious Church Customs and Cognate Subjects by Andrews, William
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
