churchwarden

church +‎ warden

churchwarden (plural churchwardens)

1. (Britain) A lay officer of the Church of England who handles the secular affairs of the parish.
   • 1933, George Orwell, chapter 31, in Down and Out in Paris and London‎:

     At first, not knowing any better, I used sometimes to copy a nude on the pavement. The first I did was outside St Martin's-in-the-Fields church. A fellow in black—I suppose he was a churchwarden or something—came out in a tearing rage.

2. (US) A similar functionary of the Episcopal church.
3. (Britain, slang) A churchwarden pipe.
   • W. Black

     There was a small wooden table placed in front of the smoldering fire, with decanters, a jar of tobacco, and two long churchwardens.

• churchwarden pipe
• churchwardenship

• vestry