/ ˈvɜːdʒə(r); NAmE ˈvɜːrdʒ-/ noun
( especially BrE ) an official whose job is to take care of the inside of a church and to perform some simple duties during church services
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (originally referring to an officer who carries a rod before a bishop or dean as a symbol of office): from Anglo-Norman French , from Latin virga rod.