English Explanatory Dictionary

constable

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. One holding the lowest rank in most Commonwealth police forces. (See also chief constable.)
  2. A police officer or an officer with equivalent powers.
  3. 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. An elected or appointed public officer, usually at municipal level, responsible for maintaining order or serving writs and court orders.
  6. An elected head of a parish (also known as a connétable)
  7. A large butterfly, Dichorragia nesimachus, family Nymphalidae, of Asia.
verb
  1. To act as a constable or policeman.
name
  1. An English surname originating as an occupation from Old French conestable (“constable”).
  2. A town in Franklin County, New York; named for landowner William Constable.
  3. John Constable, English painter.

Pronunciation

/ˈkʌnstəbəl/ /ˈkɒnstəbəl/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-constable.wav /ˈkɑnstəbəl/ /ˈkanstəbəl/ /ˈkɔnsʈəbɪl/

Word forms

constable constables constabling constabled

Etymology

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.

Synonyms

police officer

Related words

Burton Constable Constable Burton

Derived words

assistant chief constable Burton Constable Constable Burton constablery constableship constabless constablewick constabulary cst. CST deputy chief constable hog constable Melton Constable outrun the constable overrun the constable police constable special constable subconstable underconstable
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