sexton

sexton
—sextonship, n.
/sek"steuhn/, n.
1. an official of a church charged with taking care of the edifice and its contents, ringing the bell, etc., and sometimes with burying the dead.
2. an official who maintains a synagogue and its religious articles, chants the designated portion of the Torah on prescribed days, and assists the cantor in conducting services on festivals.
[1275-1325; ME sexteyn, sekesteyn, syncopated var. of SEGERSTANE, SECRISTEYN < AF segerstaine SACRISTAN]

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      church custodian charged with keeping the church and parish buildings prepared for meetings, caring for church equipment, and performing related minor duties such as ringing the bell and digging graves. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with “sacristan,” denoting a church officer who is specifically in charge of the sacristy and its sacred utensils and vestments but who also may perform the duties of sexton.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Sexton — may refer to:*Sexton (artillery), a self propelled artillery vehicle of World War II *Sexton (office), a church officer charged with the maintenance of the church buildings and/or the surrounding graveyard *Sexton (surname), people with the… …   Wikipedia

  • Sexton — • One who guards the church edifice, its treasures, vestments, etc., and as an inferior minister attends to burials, bell ringings and similar offices about a church Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Sexton     Sexton …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Sexton —   [ sekstn], Anne, amerikanische Lyrikerin, * Newton (Massachusetts) 9. 11. 1928, ✝ (Selbstmord) Weston (Massachusetts) 4. 10. 1974; Tochter einer wohlhabenden Familie aus Neuengland. Zeitlebens psychisch labil, begann sie auf Rat ihres… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Sexton — Nom anglais assez fréquent qui désigne un sacristain (sens de l anglais sexton ). En France, on rencontre des Sexton dans l Oise, je ne sais pas si l origine est la même …   Noms de famille

  • Sexton — Sex ton, n. [OE. sextein, contr. fr. sacristan.] An under officer of a church, whose business is to take care of the church building and the vessels, vestments, etc., belonging to the church, to attend on the officiating clergyman, and to perform …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sexton — index caretaker (one caring for property) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • sexton — c.1300, sekesteyn, person in charge of the sacred objects of a church, from O.Fr. segrestien, from M.L. sacristanus (see SACRISTAN (Cf. sacristan)). Sense of custodian of a church first recorded 1580s …   Etymology dictionary

  • sexton — ► NOUN ▪ a person who looks after a church and churchyard, typically acting as bell ringer and gravedigger. ORIGIN Old French segrestein, from Latin sacristanus sacristan …   English terms dictionary

  • sexton — [seks′tən] n. [ME sextein, altered < segerstane < OFr segrestain < ML sacristanus: see SACRISTAN] a church officer or employee in charge of the maintenance of church property: duties may include ringing the church bells and digging… …   English World dictionary

  • Sexton — Der Sexton (Küster oder auch Totengräber) war eine britische Selbstfahrlafette im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Sexton, ausgestellt im Warschauer Museum Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Entstehung …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Sexton — САУ Sexton в экспозиции варшавского музея Войска Польского …   Википедия

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