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.
The assistant chief constable insisted the vetting landscape in Police Scotland is "markedly different" to when Greer joined Strathclyde Police in 2009, and that Greer would not pass vetting checks today.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
“It is great to see…the fans being policed according to their behavior, not an outdated reputation,” said chief constable Mark Roberts, head of the UKFPU.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
Sir Andy Marsh, a former chief constable and chief executive at the College of Policing, said the report was "the most comprehensive examination of police leadership in a generation".
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
Other recommendations include a new senior constable rank to reward and recognise experienced frontline officers who provide leadership and mentor colleagues, as well as nationally accredited training for new constables.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
The constable chewed on the end of his cigar.
From "Tuck Everlasting" by Natalie Babbit
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said the priority "remains identifying those responsible and ensuring that all available evidence is thoroughly examined".
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
During his career he produced many paintings of the Suffolk countryside and around the River Stour, which helped give the area the name, Constable Country.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
Shortly after Widdecombe's management confirmed she had died on Friday, Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said that counter-terrorism officers had initially been involved in the investigation before ruling out terrorism.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 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
A further three police constables are being investigated for potential misconduct in relation to alleged failures to challenge the conduct of the other officers and their treatment of the boy.
From BBC ● Apr. 1, 2026
Special constables are volunteer police officers with the same powers, responsibilities and uniform as a regular officer.
From BBC ● Mar. 26, 2026
The night constables sometimes saw him walking alone.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
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.
