BEADLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

• BEADLE (noun)
  The noun BEADLE has 2 senses:

1. a minor parish official who serves a ceremonial function

2. United States biologist who discovered how hereditary characteristics are transmitted by genes (1903-1989)

  Familiarity information: BEADLE used as a noun is rare.

• BEADLE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A minor parish official who serves a ceremonial function

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("beadle" is a kind of...):

functionary; official (a worker who holds or is invested with an office)

Domain region:

Britain; Great Britain; U.K.; UK; United Kingdom; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; 'Great Britain' is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom)

Sense 2

Meaning:

United States biologist who discovered how hereditary characteristics are transmitted by genes (1903-1989)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

Beadle; George Beadle; George Wells Beadle

Instance hypernyms:

biologist; life scientist ((biology) a scientist who studies living organisms)

 Context examples 

He suffered for this on several occasions; and particularly once, when Steerforth laughed in church, and the Beadle thought it was Traddles, and took him out.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Also the chimney on fire, the parish engine, and perjury on the part of the Beadle.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

In due time I heard the church-bells ringing, as I plodded on; and I met people who were going to church; and I passed a church or two where the congregation were inside, and the sound of singing came out into the sunshine, while the beadle sat and cooled himself in the shade of the porch, or stood beneath the yew-tree, with his hand to his forehead, glowering at me going by.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)