alcaide

or al·cay·de

[ al-kahy-dee; Spanish ahl-kahy-th e ]

/ ælˈkaɪ di; Spanish ɑlˈkaɪ ðɛ /

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.)

a commander of a fortress.

a jailer; the warden of a prison.

Nearby words

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. 2019

Examples from the Web for alcaide

In 1662, a minute code of instructions for the alcaide shows us what at that time were the regulations.
A History of The Inquisition of Spain; vol. 2,|Henry Charles Lea
The humbler officials of the tribunal were the nuncio, the portero and the carcelero or alcaide de las carceles secretas.
A History of The Inquisition of Spain; vol. 2,|Henry Charles Lea
It was read to the queen, and its tidings were confirmed by communications from Alonso Vallejo and the alcaide of Cadiz.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 6|Various
This bale is like an alcaide, and is always attended by two hundred men armed with swords and bucklers.
A Journal of the First Voyage of Vasco da Gama 1497-1499|Unknown

Besides these the alcaide of the prison was to keep lists of those relaxed and penanced with three indexes.
A History of The Inquisition of Spain; vol. 2,|Henry Charles Lea

British Dictionary definitions for alcaide

alcaide

/ (ælˈkeɪd, Spanish alˈkaɪðe) /

noun (in Spain and Spanish America)

the commander of a fortress or castle

the governor of a prison

Word Origin for alcaide

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