noun. An employee or officer of a church who is responsible for the care and upkeep of church property and sometimes for ringing bells and digging graves.

noun. An under-officer of a church, whose duty it is to act as janitor, and who has charge of the edifice, utensils, furniture, etc.

noun. In entomology, a sexton-beetle; a burying-beetle; any member of the genus Necrophorus. See also cut under Necrophorus.

noun. 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 other duties pertaining to the church, such as to dig graves, ring the bell, etc.

noun. a burying beetle.

noun. A church official who looks after a church and its graveyard and may act as a gravedigger and bell-ringer.

noun. an officer of the church who is in charge of sacred objects

noun. United States poet (1928-1974)

"The term sexton by definition is a person who looks after a church and digs graves, which failed to accurately describe the job duties."

caretaker  church officer  poet  

bell-ringer  clergyman  curate  deacon  organist  

Bible clerk  Bible reader  acolyte  almoner  anagnost