pursuivant
English
editAlternative forms
editEtymology
editFrom Middle English pursevant et al., from Old French pursuivant, present participle of pursuivre (“to follow”). Doublet of pursuant.
Pronunciation
edit- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈpɜː.sɪ.vənt/
Audio (Southern England): (file) - (US) IPA(key): /ˈpɜɹ.sɪ.vənt/, /ˈpɜr.swɪ.vənt/
Noun
editpursuivant (plural pursuivants)
- (archaic) A follower
- (heraldry) A functionary of lower rank than a herald, but discharging similar duties; called also pursuivant at arms; an attendant of the heralds, e.g. in the College of Arms.
- 1845, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, To A Child:
- The herald Hope, forerunning Fear, / And Fear, the pursuivant of Hope.
- (Freemasonry) A Grand Lodge Officer who guards the inner door during a meeting of the Grand Lodge
- A royal messenger, (particularly) one with the authority to execute warrants.
- 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter 12, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volumes (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
- One pursuivant […] who attempted to execute a warrant there was murdered.
- (law enforcement, by extension) A warrant officer.
Categories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old French
- English doublets
- English 3-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with archaic senses
- en:Heraldry
- English terms with quotations
- en:Freemasonry
- en:Law enforcement
- en:People