1 constable | Definition of constable

constable

noun
con·​sta·​ble | \ ˈkän(t)-stÉ™-bÉ™l How to pronounce constable (audio) , ˈkÉ™n(t)- How to pronounce constable (audio) \

Definition of constable

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a high officer of a royal court or noble household especially in the Middle Ages
2 : the warden or governor of a royal castle or a fortified town
3a : a public officer usually of a town or township responsible for keeping the peace and for minor judicial duties
b chiefly British : police officer especially : one ranking below sergeant

Constable

biographical name
Con·​sta·​ble | \ ˈkÉ™n(t)-stÉ™-bÉ™l How to pronounce Constable (audio) , ˈkän(t)-\

Definition of Constable (Entry 2 of 2)

John 1776–1837 English painter

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Synonyms for constable

Synonyms: Noun

bobby [British], bull [slang], cop, copper, flatfoot [slang], fuzz, gendarme, lawman, officer, police officer, policeman, shamus [slang]

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Examples of constable in a Sentence

Noun

reported the crime to the local constable

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

All that fodder fed into a ten-page script for a short film about a constable in neo-Victorian London visiting a faerie brothel where a murder has taken place. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, "Review: Carnival Row brings a richly textured fantasy world to vibrant life," 3 Sep. 2019 White says a constable for Tippah County, Keith Bullock, and another church member were involved in the shooting. Fox News, "Man shot dead in small Mississippi church, report says," 12 Aug. 2019 White said that Keith Bullock, a constable for Tippah County, and another church member were involved in the shooting. Washington Post, "Polar bears' use of," 12 Aug. 2019 An image shared by the constable's office shows an older-model Chevrolet Trailblazer with damage to its front-left quarter panel. Jay R. Jordan, Houston Chronicle, "Motorcyclist dead after crashing into SUV in north Harris County," 26 July 2019 The candidates endorsed for mayor, city council, treasurer and constables will appear on the Democratic ticket in the September 10 primary. Rebecca Lurye, courant.com, "Hartford Democratic Town Committee to decide mayoral, council endorsements Monday evening," 22 July 2019 The only noises were chirping birds and a slight ripple from the river, aside from the occasional Border Patrol truck or county constable vehicle driving by. Mitchell Ferman And, BostonGlobe.com, "Three children and a woman are found dead along the border in Texas," 24 June 2019 Inside the house, Lane and another constable found the dogs' food in an unopened, 50-pound bag on the counter. Rocky Baier, azcentral, "More than 35 Chihuahuas found in possibly abandoned Phoenix house during eviction," 13 June 2019 The facility replaces constable and JP offices the county leased for decades, recently paying $26,000 per month for rent in a five-story office building on Tesoro Drive. Scott Huddleston, ExpressNews.com, "New county building offers security, convenience on San Antonio’s North Side," 13 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'constable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of constable

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for constable

Noun

Middle English conestable, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin comes stabuli, literally, officer of the stable

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More Definitions for constable

constable

noun

English Language Learners Definition of constable

US : a public official whose job is similar to that of a police officer but who is elected or appointed rather than hired

constable

noun
con·​sta·​ble | \ ˈkän-stÉ™-bÉ™l How to pronounce constable (audio) , ˈkÉ™n-\

Kids Definition of constable

: a police officer usually of a village or small town

constable

noun
con·​sta·​ble | \ ˈkän-stÉ™-bÉ™l, ˈkÉ™n- How to pronounce constable (audio) \

Legal Definition of constable

: a public officer usually of a town or township responsible for keeping the peace and for minor judicial duties

History and Etymology for constable

Old French conestable military commander, chief of the royal household, from Late Latin comes stabuli, literally, officer of the stable

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