Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A sacristan: sometimes specifically restricted to an assistant sacristan.
  • noun A person retained in a cathedral to copy out music for the choir and take care of the books.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A sacristan; also, a person retained in a cathedral to copy out music for the choir, and take care of the books.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A sacristan.
  • noun A person retained in a cathedral to copy out music for the choir and take care of the books.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Late Latin sacrista.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word sacrist.

Examples

  • But Borellas was a humble priest whose knowledge of Santiago de Compostela’s alleyways and courtyards had saved the sacrist from the French.

    Sharpe's Rifles Cornwell, Bernard 1988

  • Young monks and novices occasionally had to be disciplined by their more senior brothers during the services, and there was no rule to say that only the sacrist could do this.

    The Pillars of the Earth FOLLETT, Ken 1989

  • Philip said: “Cuthbert, get the church key from the sacrist.”

    The Pillars of the Earth FOLLETT, Ken 1989

  • Cuthbert Whitehead and the sacrist were organizing the removal of the coffin.

    The Pillars of the Earth FOLLETT, Ken 1989

  • Before the play there was a regular service, which the sacrist kept brief.

    The Pillars of the Earth FOLLETT, Ken 1989

  • The sacrist hurried through the service, and for once Philip forgave him.

    The Pillars of the Earth FOLLETT, Ken 1989

  • He did, technically, rank as an obedientary of the priory, but he never thought of himself as being equal to the sacrist and the others because they were all so much older than he.

    The Pillars of the Earth FOLLETT, Ken 1989

  • “There are others — the sacrist, the circuitor, the novice-master …”

    The Pillars of the Earth FOLLETT, Ken 1989

  • Remigius came in with Andrew, the sacrist, and they sat by John Small and Pierre.

    The Pillars of the Earth FOLLETT, Ken 1989

  • “You may be prior of a little cell in the forest, but I have been sacrist here for twelve years, and I will conduct the cathedral services as I think fit — without assistance from outsiders half my age!”

    The Pillars of the Earth FOLLETT, Ken 1989

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.