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
But we took advantage of 21st-century technology and called churchwarden Chris Moss, who came to show us around.
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
Well, one fine day they met in secret, and sent a churchwarden with a complaint to the bishop, and a thunderbolt fell on the poor curé.
From The Cloister and the Hearth A Tale of the Middle Ages by Charles Reade
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