constable

con-sta-ble · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    (British) A police officer of the lowest rank.

  2. 2.

    (US) A minor official with limited police duties, often in rural areas.

  3. 3.

    (Historical) A high-ranking official in a royal household or army.

Forms

plural: constables

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    chief constable — the head of a police force in Britain
  • •
    police constable (PC) — the formal title for a British police officer

Related words

See also: officer, police, sheriff
Synonyms: cop, officer, policeman

Etymology

From Old French "conestable," from Late Latin "comes stabuli" meaning count or officer of the stable, originally the head groom.