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equerry

[ek-wuh-ree, ih-kwer-ee]
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noun, plural eq·uer·ries.
  1. an officer of a royal or similar household, charged with the care of the horses.
  2. an officer of the British royal household who attends the sovereign or other member of the royal family.
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Origin of equerry

1520–30; alteration (influenced by Latin equus horse) of earlier esquiry, escuirie < Middle French escuirie stable, squires collectively, derivative of escuyer squire; see -y3
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for equerry

Historical Examples

  • Here, then, we found the equerry again, consumed by anxiety.

    The Strolling Saint

    Raphael Sabatini

  • The chamberlains and the equerry have departed with their letters of announcement.

  • Take Martin, the equerry, with you, and three of the grooms.

  • Holding his captive before him, Damis turned to the equerry.

    Giants on the Earth

    Sterner St. Paul Meek

  • He ordered his equerry to offer them his protection, and everything that they might require.

British Dictionary definitions for equerry

equerry

noun plural -ries
  1. an officer attendant upon the British sovereign
  2. (formerly) an officer in a royal household responsible for the horses
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Word Origin

C16: alteration (through influence of Latin equus horse) of earlier escuirie, from Old French: stable, group of squires, from escuyer squire
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

Word Origin and History for equerry

n.

1590s, short for groom of the equirrie, from esquiry "stables" (1550s), from Middle French escuerie (Modern French écurie), perhaps from Medieval Latin scuria "stable," from Old High German scura "barn;" or from Old French escuier "groom," from Vulgar Latin scutarius "shield-bearer." In either case, spelling influenced by Latin equus "horse," which is unrelated.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper