ostiary
[
os
-tee-er-ee]
/ˈɒs tiˌɛr i/
noun
,
plural
ostiaries.
1.
Also called
doorkeeper
,
porter
.
Roman Catholic Church
.
a member of the lowest-ranking of the four minor orders.
the order itself.
Compare
acolyte
(def 2),
exorcist
(def 2),
lector
(def 2).
2.
a doorkeeper, as of a church.
Origin
1400-50;
late Middle English
hostiary
<
Latin
ōstiārius
doorkeeper, equivalent to
ōsti
(
um
) door, entrance (see
ostium
) +
-ārius
-ary
British Dictionary definitions for
ostiary
ostiary
/
ˈɒstɪərɪ
/
noun
(
pl
)
-aries
1.
(
RC Church
)
another word for
porter
2
(sense 4)
Word Origin
C15: from Latin
ostiārius
doorkeeper, from
ostium
door