a person employed to act as caretaker of a church and its contents and graveyard, and often also as bell-ringer, gravedigger, etc
2. another name for the burying beetle
Word origin
C14: from Old French secrestein, from Medieval Latin sacristānussacristan
sexton in American English
(ˈsɛkstən)
noun
a church officer or employee in charge of the maintenance of church property: duties may include ringing the church bells and digging graves in the churchyard
Word origin
ME sextein, altered < segerstane < OFr segrestain < ML sacristanus: see sacristan