— 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 segerstaine SACRISTAN ]