seneschal
[ sen-uh-shuh l ]
/ ˈsɛn ə ʃəl /
noun
an officer having full charge of domestic arrangements, ceremonies, the administration of justice, etc., in the household of a medieval prince or dignitary; steward.
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Origin of seneschal
1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French < Frankish; compare Medieval Latin seniscalcus senior servant, cognate with Old High German senescalh (sene- old, senior + scalh servant)
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for seneschal
British Dictionary definitions for seneschal
seneschal
/ (ˈsɛnɪʃəl) /
noun
a steward of the household of a medieval prince or nobleman who took charge of domestic arrangements, etc
British a cathedral official
Word Origin for seneschal
C14: from Old French, from Medieval Latin siniscalcus, of Germanic origin; related to Old High German senescalh oldest servant, from sene- old + scalh a servant
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for seneschal
seneschal
late 14c., "steward, majordomo, officer in a royal household in charge of ceremonies and feasts," from Old French seneschal, title of a high administrative court officer, from Frankish Latin siniscalcus, from Proto-Germanic *sini-skalk "senior servant;" first element cognate with Latin senex "old" (see senile); second element from Proto-Germanic *skalkoz "servant" (cf. Gothic skalks, Old High German scalc, Old English scealc "servant;" see second element of marshal).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper