In the Anglican Church, a churchwarden is the person who has been chosen by a congregation to help the vicar of a parish with administration and other duties.
churchwarden in British English
(ˌtʃɜːtʃˈwɔːdən)
noun
1. Church of England, Episcopal Church
one of two assistants of a parish priest who administer the secular affairs of the church
2.
a long-stemmed tobacco pipe made of clay
churchwarden in American English
(ˈtʃɜrtʃˌwɔrdən)
noun
1.
either of two lay officers of an Episcopal church who attend to certain secular matters, as care of church property
2. British
a clay tobacco pipe with a very long stem
Word origin
ME chirchewardein: see church & Warden
Examples of 'churchwarden' in a sentence
churchwarden
The outraged churchwarden was insisting that it reminded him of a lavatory.
Howatch, Susan ULTIMATE PRIZES
If your husband had done his duty as a churchwarden, then none of this would have occurred.
Barnard, Robert THE DISPOSAL OF THE LIVING
Bertie was the churchwarden at St Padarn's, the daughter church which was in my charge.