apparitor

[uh-par-i-ter]

noun

(in ancient Rome) a subordinate official of a magistrate or of the court.

Origin of apparitor

1250–1300; Middle English apparitour < Latin appāritor, equivalent to appāri- (variant stem of appārēre to serve, attend, literally, to be seen; see appear) + -tor -tor

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for apparitor

Historical Examples of apparitor

No wonder our wardens disclaimed all knowledge of the apparitor!
The Church of Grasmere
Mary L. Armitt
An apparitor tore him down, and was dragged to the ground in his turn.
Hypatia
Charles Kingsley
In this case the tribunal, with rare moderation, only ordered its apparitor to seize the books in the hands of the students.
A History of The Inquisition of Spain; vol. 2,
Henry Charles Lea
After having dressed ourselves in our best, and put on our majestic caps of fox-skin, we said to our apparitor, “We are ready.”
Travels in Tartary, Thibet, and China
Evariste Regis Huc
Mr. Garden then sent his apparitor for his commission, from the Bishop of London, to act as commissary.
The Life of the Rev. George Whitefield, Volume I (of 2)
Luke Tyerman

British Dictionary definitions for apparitor

apparitor

noun

an officer who summons witnesses and executes the orders of an ecclesiastical and (formerly) a civil court

Word Origin for apparitor

C15: from Latin: public servant, from appārēre to appear

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