/cherrch"wawr'dn/ , n.
1. Anglican Ch. a lay officer who looks after the secular affairs of the church, and who, in England, is the legal representative of the parish.
2. Episc. Ch. a lay church officer who, with other members of the vestry, is in charge of the temporal management of the parish.
3. a long-stemmed clay pipe for smoking.
[ 1400-50; late ME chirche wardeyn ]