different between churchwarden vs kirkmaister

English

Etymology

church +? warden

Pronunciation

Noun

churchwarden (plural churchwardens)

1. (Britain) A lay officer of the Church of England who handles the secular affairs of the parish.
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.

   • 1843, John William Carleton, The Sporting Review (volume 10, page 419)

     In one part of Cockaigne an amalgamation of these two last has lately taken place; and the pleasure experienced by the parishioners of Walbrook is unbounded when smoking an alderman and churchwarden.

Derived terms

• churchwarden pipe
• churchwardenship
• churchwarden's pew

Translations

See also

• vestry

English

Etymology

From kirk +? maister (“master”), possibly a calque of Middle Dutch keercmeester (“churchmaster”).

Noun

kirkmaister (plural kirkmaisters)

1. (Britain dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) A churchwarden.