pursuivant

[pur-swi-vuh nt]

See more synonyms for pursuivant on Thesaurus.com

noun

a heraldic officer of the lowest class, ranking below a herald.
an official attendant on heralds.
any attendant or follower.

Origin of pursuivant

1350–1400; < French poursuivant (present participle of poursuivre to pursue, follow ≪ Latin prōsequī); replacing Middle English pursevant < Middle French pursivant < Latin, as above

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for pursuivant

messenger, catchpole, pursuivant, summoner

Examples from the Web for pursuivant

Historical Examples of pursuivant

Pursuivant of love, the favourite title of a knight, I. 202.
The History of Chivalry, Volume I (of 2)
Charles Mills
Why, I proposed to devote myself to the Pursuivant to-morrow!'
The Pillars of the House, Vol. II (of 2)
Charlotte M. Yonge
Time to put it into the Pursuivant would have made all the difference!
The Pillars of the House, Vol. II (of 2)
Charlotte M. Yonge
It was lucky for the Pursuivant that they were not its caterers.
The Pillars of the House, Vol. II (of 2)
Charlotte M. Yonge
Our pursuivant and Bolton shall escort him to Dunbar, and ship him off for Flanders.
The Monastery
Sir Walter Scott

British Dictionary definitions for pursuivant

pursuivant

noun

the lowest rank of heraldic officer
history a state or royal messenger
history a follower or attendant

Word Origin for pursuivant

C14: from Old French, from poursivre to pursue

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