constabulary
1 Americannoun
-
constabularies
plural
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the body of constables of a district.
-
a body of officers of the peace organized on a military basis.
adjective
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of constabulary1
1350–1400; < Medieval Latin constabulāria, feminine of constabulārius constabulary 2; replacing Middle English constablerie < Old French < Medieval Latin as above
Origin of constabulary2
1815–25; < Medieval Latin constabulārius; see constable, -ary
Explanation
You can refer to a police force as a constabulary. If your mother and your grandfather were both police officers, you might want to follow the family tradition and join the constabulary as well. You're most likely to use this word if you live in the United Kingdom, where police officers are known as constables and individual county police forces are often called constabularies. In the U.S., the term is reserved for specially assembled forces, like the ones established in foreign countries following wars — the U.S. constabulary in Germany after World War II is one example.
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The inquiry heard Sanders had noted that a coordinated media release, with families affected, would be required, adding it could have a "significant impact on the reputation of the constabulary".
From BBC ● Mar. 18, 2026
"I hope that our case will highlight failings within the constabulary and the chief constable will ensure that this never happens again."
From BBC ● Nov. 16, 2025
He added: "I believe the school tried to use the police to close down legitimate inquiries, and for some reason the constabulary played along."
From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2025
Couzens, 51, joined Kent Police as a special constable in 2002 and became an officer with the Civil Nuclear constabulary in 2011.
From BBC ● Feb. 29, 2024
"I have her—and the dinero—and a constabulary inspector," he answered evasively.
From Caybigan by James Hopper
"Changes need to be made across the board in all constabularies nationally," said Mr Spinks.
From BBC ● Mar. 5, 2022
Partly it's because some constabularies have an institutional distrust of the private sector, made more acute by G4S's security failings during the Olympics.
From BBC ● Nov. 19, 2015
The Guardian approached the remaining police forces in England and Wales, as well as constabularies in Scotland and Northern Ireland, none of whom are currently investigating allegations, fresh or historical, into Heath.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 6, 2015
Police commissioners were invented by the current government with the admirable motive of making constabularies accountable to their local communities.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 20, 2014
That is genuinely constructive work, and will do more to a humane solution of the class struggle than all the jails and state constabularies that ever betrayed the barbarism of the Twentieth Century.
From A Preface to Politics by Walter Lippmann
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.
