war·den / ˈwôrdn/ • n. a person responsible for the supervision of a particular place or thing or for ensuring that regulations associated with it are obeyed: the warden of a local nature reserve an air-raid warden. ∎  the head official in charge of a prison. ∎  a churchwarden. ∎ Brit. the head of certain schools, colleges, or other institutions.DERIVATIVES: war·den·ship / -ˌship/ n.

warden †guardian; in various designations of office involving control or governorship. XIII. — AN., ONF. wardein, var. of OF. g(u)arden GUARDIAN.