warden

(wôrd'n)

noun

  1. a person who guards, or has charge of, something; keeper, custodian, or special supervisory official: fire warden, game warden
  2. the chief administrative official of a prison
  3. in England, a title for: now obsolete when used for other high government officers
    1. a governor
    2. an officer in charge of a certain department of government
    3. the superintendent of a port or market
  4. in England,
    1. a governing officer in certain guilds, hospitals, etc.; trustee
    2. the head of certain British colleges and of some schools
  5. in Connecticut, the chief executive of a borough
  6. churchwarden (sense )
  7. Archaic a gatekeeper or watchman

Origin: ME wardein < NormFr, warden (for OFr gardien): see guardian

Related Forms:

noun

an old variety of winter pear used chiefly for cooking

Origin: ME wardone, prob. < NormFr warder, to keep: see ward,

See warden in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. The chief administrative official of a prison.
  2. An official charged with the enforcement of certain laws and regulations: an air raid warden.
  3. Chiefly British
    a. The chief executive official in charge of a port or market.
    b. Any of various crown officers having administrative duties.
    c. One of the governing officials of certain colleges, schools, guilds, or hospitals; a trustee.
  4. The chief executive of a borough in certain states.
  5. A churchwarden.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English wardein

Origin: , from Old North French

Origin: , from warder, to guard

Origin: , of Germanic origin; see wer-3 in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

  • warˈden·shipˌ noun

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