Seneschal

Seneschal
Seneschal Sen"es*chal, n. [OF. seneschal, LL. seniscalcus, of Teutonic origin; cf. Goth. sineigs old, skalks, OHG. scalch, AS. scealc. Cf. {Senior}, {Marshal}.] An officer in the houses of princes and dignitaries, in the Middle Ages, who had the superintendence of feasts and domestic ceremonies; a steward. Sometimes the seneschal had the dispensing of justice, and was given high military commands. [1913 Webster]

Then marshaled feast Served up in hall with sewers and seneschale. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

Philip Augustus, by a famous ordinance in 1190, first established royal courts of justice, held by the officers called baitiffs, or seneschals, who acted as the king's lieutenants in his demains. --Hallam. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • seneschal — SENESCHAL. s. m. Officier qui dans un certain ressort est chef de la justice, & qui est aussi chef de la noblesse, quand elle est convoquée pour l arriereban. La pluspart ne rendent plus la justice que par des Lieutenans de robe longue. Le… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • seneschal — late 14c., from O.Fr. seneschal, from Frankish Latin siniscalcus, from P.Gmc. *sini skalk senior servant; first element cognate with L. senex old (see SENILE (Cf. senile)); second element from P.Gmc. *skalkoz servant (Cf. Goth. skalks, O.H.G.… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Seneschal — Variante de Sénéchal (voir ce nom) portée dans le Nord Pas de Calais, où on trouve aussi les formes Seneschael et Senesael. Avec le même sens, mais dans le Sud : Senescail, Senescal (11, 81, 34), Senescau, Senescat (65, 33) …   Noms de famille

  • seneschal — [sen′ə shəl] n. [OFr < Frank siniskalk, oldest servant < * sini, old (for IE base see SENATE) + skalk, servant (for IE base see MARSHAL)] a steward or major domo in the household of a medieval noble …   English World dictionary

  • Seneschal — A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. In the French administrative system of the Middle Ages, the sénéchal was also a royal officer in charge of justice and control of the administration in southern… …   Wikipedia

  • Seneschal — Recorded in a very wide range of spellings including Senecall, Seneschall, Senecaut, Senecaux, Senechault, and the English dialectals Seneogles and Zeongles, this is a surname of pre 8th century Anglo Saxon and French origins, but is ultimately… …   Surnames reference

  • seneschal — /sen euh sheuhl/, n. an officer having full charge of domestic arrangements, ceremonies, the administration of justice, etc., in the household of a medieval prince or dignitary; steward. [1350 1400; ME < MF < Frankish; cf. ML seniscalcus senior… …   Universalium

  • Seneschal — Steward or major domo of a great estate; the official responsible for the estate s daily functioning, including sometimes responsibility for justice within the household. An AS seneschal was known as a *discthegn, i.e. a dish thegn. [< Germ.… …   Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases

  • Seneschal — Lord’s representative in the administration of an estate, presiding at manorial courts, auditing accounts, conduct inquests, and the like. Within the SCA, the seneschal is the chief administrative officer for a shire or college. In a barony or… …   Medieval glossary

  • Seneschal of Anjou — A seneschal ( siniscallus , Vulgar or old Frankish Latin, also dapifer ) was an officer of an aristocratic household assigned to manage the domestic affairs of the lord. During the course of the twelfth century, the seneschalship also became an… …   Wikipedia

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