ostiary — English Dictionary

Noun

1. The mouth of a river; an estuary.

   Usage

   • Archaic

   Examples

   the river of Nilus hath seven ostiaries, that is, by seven channels disburdened itself into the sea

2. One who keeps the door, especially the door of a church; a porter.

   Synonyms

   ostiarius

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   They had other inferiour degrees of the Clergy, vvhich becauſe they are meerly ſubſervient, and not conſiderable in Church-government, I ſhall onely touch upon them. […] Laſtly, Oſtiaries; vvhich uſed to ring the bells, and open and ſhut the Church-doores.

   So arrayed I stepped at last from my door and was saluted as before by my monstrous ostiaries.

Noun

1. the lowest of the minor Holy Orders in the unreformed Western Church but now suppressed by the Roman Catholic Church

   Synonyms

   doorkeeperostiarius

   Broader terms

   reverendHoly OrderOrder

2. someone who guards an entrance

   Synonyms

   doorkeeperdoor guardhall porterportergatekeeper

   Broader terms

   guard