constable
pronunciation
How to pronounce constable in British English:
UK [ˈkʌnstəbl]
How to pronounce constable in American English:
US [ˈkɑnstəbl]
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- Noun:
- a lawman with less authority and jurisdiction than a sheriff
- a police officer of the lowest rank
Word Origin
- constable
- constable: [13] The late Latin comes stabulī was an officer in charge of the stables (comes is the source of the English title count, and stabulum is the ancestor of English stable). From the comparatively lowly status of head groom, the job gradually grew in importance until Old French conestable was used for the principal officer of the household of the early French kings. In the 14th century the title was adopted for the Constable of England. On a less exalted level, the word has also been used since the 14th century for someone appointed to uphold law and order, and was applied to police officers when they were called into being in the 1830s.=> count, stable
- constable (n.)
- c. 1200, "chief household officer, justice of the peace," from Old French conestable (12c., Modern French connétable), "steward, governor," principal officer of the Frankish king's household, from Late Latin comes stabuli, literally "count of the stable" (established by Theodosian Code, c.438 C.E.), hence, "chief groom." See count (n.). Second element is from Latin stabulum "stable, standing place" (see stable (n.)). Probably a translation of a Germanic word. Meaning "an officer of the peace" is from c. 1600, transferred to "police officer" 1836. French reborrowed constable 19c. as "English police."
Example
- 1. Some see themselves as a sort of self-appointed family constable .
- 2. Capitalism is not the " free market " or laisser faire a system of zero government " plus the constable " .
- 3. Posing as the bishop 's representative , I spoke with villagers and the local constable .