an officer of the peace, having police and minor judicial functions, usually in a small town, rural district, etc.
Chiefly British. a police officer.
an officer of high rank in medieval monarchies, usually the commander of all armed forces, especially in the absence of the ruler.
the keeper or governor of a royal fortress or castle.
(in Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, etc) a police officer of the lowest rank
any of various officers of the peace, esp one who arrests offenders, serves writs, etc
the keeper or governor of a royal castle or fortress
(in medieval Europe) the chief military officer and functionary of a royal household, esp in France and England
an officer of a hundred in medieval England, originally responsible for raising the military levy but later assigned other administrative duties
1200–50; Middle English conestable < Anglo-French, Old French < Late Latin comes stabulī count 2 of the stable 1
A small-town police officer is sometimes known as a constable. If you live in an extremely tiny town, the constable may show up at your door when you dial 9-1-1 for help with a raccoon stuck in your chimney. In Britain and Canada, a constable is the lowest-ranking officer in a police force. It's less common in the U.S., and the word's exact meaning varies a bit from state to state. In some places, a constable is only authorized to serve subpoenas to people who are required to testify in court. Other constables have full law enforcement powers. The Latin root of constable is comes stabuli, "attendant to the stables."
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“It is great to see…the fans being policed according to their behavior, not an outdated reputation,” said chief constable Mark Roberts, head of the UKFPU.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
The report by the Police Leadership Commission, published on Monday, found the system for identifying and developing leaders was too weak, with chief constable roles in England and Wales often attracting a single suitable candidate.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
But Police Scotland told City of Glasgow Council's licensing board their chief constable had concerns over public safety as the cans could be used as "projectiles."
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026
Police constable Jess Turnbull died after she was struck by a car in Cramlington, Northumberland, while responding to a report of a separate crash.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
The constable knew Mr. Armin, and when he was satisfied that the duel had arisen over stolen property, he let us go free.
From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood
Assistant Chief Constable Lynn Ratcliff, gold commander for the investigation, said what the inquiry had found was "truly shocking".
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Assistant Chief Constable Lynn Ratcliff said the inquiry into Greer's offending had been "truly shocking"
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Chief Constable James Vaughan said Devon and Cornwall Police had "mounted an extraordinary response to a horrific murder of a very prominent public figure" and shown "British policing at its very best".
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
"She had sustained serious injuries," police Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman told reporters, adding a 26-year-old white British man had been arrested in connection with Widdecombe's death.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
I dressed quickly and found Head Constable Rousseau, a security officer who was a familiar figure in our area, and two policemen.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Long before modern professional police forces, public order depended on watches, constables, alarms, and forms of compelled or expected community response.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
Badat worked on a challenge to DeSoto County districts that were used for the county’s board of supervisors, school board, election commission, county constables and their judges.
From Salon ● May 16, 2026
Mahmood's comments follow government plans, announced on Friday, to grant ministers new powers to dismiss chief constables deemed to be performing poorly.
From BBC ● Jan. 25, 2026
Under separate proposals announced on Friday, ministers will be granted new powers to dismiss chief constables and intervene in forces deemed to be failing.
From BBC ● Jan. 23, 2026
‘No seafaring man ever objected to a little Sabbath-breaking. But mind if you see any deacons or constables.’
From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
