A sexton is an officer of a church, congregation, or synagogue charged with the maintenance of its buildings and/or an associated graveyard.

In smaller places of worship, this office is often combined with that of verger.

[2] Historically in North America and the United Kingdom the "sexton" was sometimes a minor municipal official responsible for overseeing the town graveyard.

"Sexton" represents the popular development of the word via the Old French "Segrestein".

[6] In modern times, grave digging and maintenance of the cemetery is usually done by an outside contractor.