sexton
noun
sex·ton ˈsek-stən 
: a church officer or employee who takes care of the church property and performs related minor duties (such as ringing the bell for services and digging graves)
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web As a porter and a church sexton, Cheatham was hired to work for the Fire Department in 1888. 
Kevin L. Clark, Essence, 25 Mar. 2022 Salt Lake City leaders unveiled a new arboretum Saturday morning at the city’s historic cemetery, dedicated to its longest-serving sexton, Mark Smith. The Salt Lake Tribune, 6 Nov. 2021 Unveiled Saturday, the arboretum honors the cemetery’s longest-serving sexton, Mark Smith. The Salt Lake Tribune, 6 Nov. 2021 With help from the church sexton, Raymond Brooks, some senior members and her adult daughter, Ashley Pryor, the efficient assembly line produced 100 meals. Glenn Graham, baltimoresun.com, 16 Aug. 2020 Daniel is drawn to a young woman, Marta (Eliza Rycembel), but scorned by her mournful mother, Lidia (Aleksandra Konieczna), who is both the housekeeper at the vicarage and the sexton at the church. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2020 Gloria Stevens, sexton at the cemetery, said there are about 47 Confederate veterans and 97 Union veterans among the 4,600 burials there. USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2020 The slain included the Reverend Clementa Pinckney, the church's pastor and a state senator; a high school track coach; the church sexton; a librarian; and an aspiring poet. CBS News, 28 Jan. 2020 And then the church rector hired him as a sexton, or maintenance man. Thomas Farragher, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Dec. 2019 See More
Kevin L. Clark, Essence, 25 Mar. 2022 Salt Lake City leaders unveiled a new arboretum Saturday morning at the city’s historic cemetery, dedicated to its longest-serving sexton, Mark Smith. The Salt Lake Tribune, 6 Nov. 2021 Unveiled Saturday, the arboretum honors the cemetery’s longest-serving sexton, Mark Smith. The Salt Lake Tribune, 6 Nov. 2021 With help from the church sexton, Raymond Brooks, some senior members and her adult daughter, Ashley Pryor, the efficient assembly line produced 100 meals. Glenn Graham, baltimoresun.com, 16 Aug. 2020 Daniel is drawn to a young woman, Marta (Eliza Rycembel), but scorned by her mournful mother, Lidia (Aleksandra Konieczna), who is both the housekeeper at the vicarage and the sexton at the church. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2020 Gloria Stevens, sexton at the cemetery, said there are about 47 Confederate veterans and 97 Union veterans among the 4,600 burials there. USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2020 The slain included the Reverend Clementa Pinckney, the church's pastor and a state senator; a high school track coach; the church sexton; a librarian; and an aspiring poet. CBS News, 28 Jan. 2020 And then the church rector hired him as a sexton, or maintenance man. Thomas Farragher, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Dec. 2019 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English secresteyn, sexteyn, from Anglo-French segrestein, from Medieval Latin sacristanus — more at sacristan
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
sexton
noun
sex·ton ˈseks-tən
: an official of a church who takes care of church buildings and property
sextons
noun
as in stewards
a person who takes care of church buildings and property and often rings the church's bell during services a sexton who kept the church immaculate for over forty-five years Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- stewards
- keepers
- janitors
- wardens
- custodians
- caretakers
- curators
- watchmen
- guardians
- cocurators
- co-curators