Wiktionary

constable

See also: Constable

English

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Etymology

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From Middle English constable, cunstable, constabil, connestable, cunestable, from Old French conestable, from Latin comes stabulī (“officer of the stables”). For the sense-development; compare marshal. Doublet of connétable.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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constable (plural constables)

  1. One holding the lowest rank in most Commonwealth police forces. (See also chief constable.)
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
      As soon as Julia returned with a constable, Timothy, who was on the point of exhaustion, prepared to give over to him gratefully. The newcomer turned out to be a powerful youngster, fully trained and eager to help, and he stripped off his tunic at once.
  2. (UK, law) A police officer or an officer with equivalent powers.
  3. (historical) An officer of a noble court in the Middle Ages, usually a senior army commander. (See also marshal).
  4. The warden of a castle.
  5. (US) An elected or appointed public officer, usually at municipal level, responsible for maintaining order or serving writs and court orders.
  6. (Channel Islands) An elected head of a parish (also known as a connétable)
  7. A large butterfly, Dichorragia nesimachus, family Nymphalidae, of Asia.

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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Verb

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constable (third-person singular simple present constables, present participle constabling, simple past and past participle constabled)

  1. (intransitive, dated) To act as a constable or policeman.

Anagrams

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French

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Noun

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constable m or f by sense (plural constables)

  1. constable (police title)

Further reading

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Middle English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Borrowed from Old French conestable; compare counte (“count”), stable (“stable”).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /kun(ə)ˈstaːblə/, /kun(ə)ˈstaːbəl/
  • (reduced) IPA(key): /ˈkun(ə)stablə/, /ˈkun(ə)stabəl/

Noun

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constable (plural constables)

  1. constable (high commander or officer of a medieval realm)
  2. constable (warden of a castle)

Descendants

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  • English: constable
  • Scots: constable

References

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