warden

¹

[wawr-dn]

noun

1. a person charged with the care or custody of persons, animals, or things; keeper.

   Synonyms: superintendent, caretaker, custodian, guard, guardian, warder

2. the chief administrative officer in charge of a prison.

3. any of various public officials charged with superintendence, as over a port or wildlife.

4. air-raid warden.

5. firewarden.

6. (in Connecticut) the chief executive officer of a borough.

7. (formerly) the principal official in a region, town, etc.

8. British.

   1. (initial capital letter),  a traditional title of the president or governor of certain schools and colleges.

      Warden of Merton College.

   2. a member of a livery company of the City of London.

9. Canadian.,  the head of certain county or local councils.

10. a member of the governing body of a guild.

11. a churchwarden.

12. a gatekeeper.

Warden

²

[wawr-dn]

noun

British: Archaic.

1. any of several pears having a crisp, firm flesh, used in baking and cooking.

warden

¹

/ ˈwɔːdən /

noun

1. a person who has the charge or care of something, esp a building, or someone

2. any of various public officials, esp one responsible for the enforcement of certain regulations

3. a person employed to patrol a national park or safari park

4. the chief officer in charge of a prison

5. the principal or president of any of various universities or colleges

6. See churchwarden

warden

²

/ ˈwɔːdən /

noun

1. a variety of pear that has crisp firm flesh and is used for cooking

Other Word Forms

• wardenship noun
• subwarden noun
• subwardenship noun
• underwarden noun
• wardenry noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of warden¹

1175–1225; Middle English wardein < Old French (northeast dial.), equivalent to ward- (root of warder to guard; ward ) + -ein, variant of -ien, -enc < Germanic -ing -ing ³

Origin of warden²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English wardoun, wardon(e); of uncertain origin; perhaps from Anglo-French or Anglo-Latin wardō (inflectional stem wardōn-)

Word History and Origins

Origin of warden¹

C13: from Old Northern French wardein, from warder to guard, of Germanic origin; see _guard

Origin of warden²

C15: of obscure origin

Example Sentences

At first the wardens respected his religious beliefs.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Louisiana Department of Corrections involves whether an inmate of a minority religious group, the Rastafarians, can sue for monetary damages after the warden violated his religious rights – specifically, the right to not cut his hair.

Read more on Salon

"A waste warden paid her a visit and vastly reduced how much black bag waste she puts out."

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How about Tony Soprano’s wife as the sharp-elbowed warden of a Michigan prison?

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During the dry season from May through October, park wardens fed hungry lion cubs, but Mr. Schaller writes that he believes animals in the wild must regulate themselves.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• administrator 
• caretaker 
• curator 
• superintendent