beadle

¹

[ beed-l ]

noun

1. a parish officer having various subordinate duties, as keeping order during services, waiting on the rector, etc.
2. sexton ( def 2 ).

Beadle

²

[ beed-l ]

noun

1. George Wells, 1903–1989, U.S. biologist and educator: Nobel Prize in Medicine 1958.

Beadle

¹

/ ˈbiːdəl /

noun

1. BeadleGeorge Wells19031989MUSSCIENCE: biologist George Wells . 1903–89, US biologist, who shared the Nobel prize for physiology or medicine in 1958 for his work in genetics

beadle

²

/ ˈbiːdəl /

noun

1. (formerly, in the Church of England) a minor parish official who acted as an usher and kept order
2. (in Scotland) a church official attending on the minister
3. See shammes
   Judaism a synagogue attendant See also shammes
4. an official in certain British universities and other institutions

Derived Forms

• ˈbeadleship, noun

Other Words From

• sub·beadle noun
• under·beadle noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of beadle¹

before 1000; Middle English bedel, dial. (SE) variant of bidel, Old English bydel apparitor, herald (cognate with German Büttel ), equivalent to bud- (weak stem of bēodan to command) + -il noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of beadle¹

Old English bydel ; related to Old High German butil bailiff

Example Sentences

The matron expressed her entire concurrence in this intelligible simile, and the beadle went on.

From Project Gutenberg

He fixed his eyes on Mrs. Corney as he said this; and if ever a beadle looked tender, Mr. Bumble was that beadle at that moment.

From Project Gutenberg

Mrs. Corney drooped her head when the beadle said this, and the beadle drooped his to get a view of Mrs. Corneys face.

From Project Gutenberg

Peppermint, explained Mrs. Corney, in a faint voice, smiling gently on the beadle as she spoke.

From Project Gutenberg

With these words, the beadle strode, with a lofty and gloomy air, from the undertakers premises.

From Project Gutenberg