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sergeant at arms

American  

noun

  1. an executive officer of a legislative or other body, whose duty it is to enforce its commands, preserve order, etc.


sergeant at arms British  

noun

  1. an officer of a legislative or fraternal body responsible for maintaining internal order

  2. (formerly) an officer who served a monarch or noble, esp as an armed attendant

"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

Etymology

Origin of sergeant at arms

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

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 sergeant at arms has confirmed that Senator Bato is no longer in the building," Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano told a news conference, using Dela Rosa's nickname.

From Barron's May 14, 2026

The dress code was updated soon thereafter by Martha Pope, the first female sergeant at arms.

From The Wall Street Journal Nov. 28, 2025

They all listened as the sergeant at arms announced “hear ye, hear ye, all persons are commanded to keep silent under pain of imprisonment” during the course of the impeachment trial.

From Slate Apr. 19, 2024

The office of the sergeant at arms sent an alert notifying members of Congress and staffers that U.S.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 6, 2022

The sergeant at arms gave him a long, unimpressed look and blinked slowly, once.

From "The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge" by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin

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