WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
os•ti•ar•y
(os′tē er′ē),USA pronunciation n., pl. -ar•ies.
- ReligionAlso called doorkeeper, porter. [Rom. Cath. Ch.]
- a member of the lowest-ranking of the four minor orders.
- the order itself. Cf. acolyte (def. 2), exorcist (def. 2), lector (def. 2).
- Religiona doorkeeper, as of a church.
- Latin ōstiārius doorkeeper, equivalent. to ōsti(um) door, entrance (see ostium) + -ārius -ary
- late Middle English hostiary 1400–50
'ostiary' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):