# beadle

> English word · Noun · IPA [ˈbiːdəɫ] · frequency rank #52,173

## Definitions
1. A parish constable, a uniformed minor (lay) official, who ushers and keeps order.
2. An attendant to the minister.
3. A warrant officer.

## Etymology
From Middle English bedel, bidel, from Old English bydel (“warrant officer, apparitor”), from Proto-West Germanic *budil, from Proto-Germanic *budilaz (“herald”), equivalent to bid + -le. Cognate with Dutch beul, German Büttel. More at bid.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/beadle