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alcaide

or al·cay·de

[al-kahy-dee; Spanish ahl-kahy-th e]
noun, plural al·cai·des [al-kahy-deez; Spanish ahl-kahy-th es] /ælˈkaɪ diz; Spanish ɑlˈkaɪ ðɛs/. (in Spain, Portugal, Southwestern U.S., etc.)
  1. a commander of a fortress.
  2. a jailer; the warden of a prison.
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Origin of alcaide

1495–1505; < Spanish < Arabic al-qā'id the leader
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for alcaide

Historical Examples

  • Senhor, I exclaimed, you remind me of the Alcaide of Montijo, who hesitated to approach his mother-in-law until she was gloved.

    Tales from the Lands of Nuts and Grapes

    Charles Sellers and Others

  • Louis inquired how the alcaide reported the state of the Basha; and asked the purport of his visit to the cell.

  • The alcaide's appearance was strange to the eyes of him, who had last seen him in the light European garb of his country.

  • Besides these the alcaide of the prison was to keep lists of those relaxed and penanced with three indexes.

  • The humbler officials of the tribunal were the nuncio, the portero and the carcelero or alcaide de las carceles secretas.

British Dictionary definitions for alcaide

alcaide

noun (in Spain and Spanish America)
  1. the commander of a fortress or castle
  2. the governor of a prison
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Word Origin

C16: from Spanish, from Arabic al-qā'id the captain, commander, from qād to give orders
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012