MEANING
A church official who looks after its building and grounds, traditionally sometimes tending graves or ringing bells.
Use it for
Custodians of burial grounds, local knowledge, everyday religious maintenance.Give access to sacred buildings a believable human gatekeeper.
Words that belong together
- parish sexton
- old sexton
- sexton's keys
On the page
The sexton knew which graves had never received headstones.
After sweeping the church, the sexton locked the side door.
She asked the sexton whether anyone else had a key to the tower.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- sexton
Usage notes
Primary category: gothic. Duties vary by place and period; do not assume every sexton is clergy or a gravedigger. Plural sextons.
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