\Ward"en\, n. [OE. wardein, OF. wardein, gardein,
gardain, F. gardien. See {Guardian}, and {Ward} guard.]
1. A keeper; a guardian; a watchman.
         He called to the warden on the . . . battlements.
                                               --Sir. W.
                                               Scott.
2. An officer who keeps or guards; a keeper; as, the warden
   of a prison.
3. A head official; as, the warden of a college; specifically
   (Eccl.), a churchwarden.
4. [Properly, a keeping pear.] A large, hard pear, chiefly
   used for baking and roasting. [Obs.]
         I would have had him roasted like a warden. --Beau.
                                               & Fl.
{Warden pie}, a pie made of warden pears. [Obs.] --Shak.