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apparitor

[uh-par-i-ter]
noun
  1. (in ancient Rome) a subordinate official of a magistrate or of the court.
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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

  • 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.

  • After having dressed ourselves in our best, and put on our majestic caps of fox-skin, we said to our apparitor, “We are ready.”

  • Mr. Garden then sent his apparitor for his commission, from the Bishop of London, to act as commissary.

British Dictionary definitions for apparitor

apparitor

noun
  1. an officer who summons witnesses and executes the orders of an ecclesiastical and (formerly) a civil court
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Word Origin

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