cham·ber·lain

(chām′bər-lən)

a. An officer who manages the household of a sovereign or noble; a chief steward.

b. A high-ranking official in various royal courts.

2. An official who receives the rents and fees of a municipality; a treasurer.

3. Roman Catholic Church

a. A papal gentleman. No longer in use.

b. A camerlengo.

[Middle English chaumberlein, from Old French chamberlenc, from Frankish *kamerling : Late Latin camera, chamber; see chamber + Germanic *-linga-, one connected with; see -ling¹.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

chamberlain

(ˈtʃeɪmbəlɪn)

1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) an officer who manages the household of a king

2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the steward of a nobleman or landowner

3. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the treasurer of a municipal corporation

[C13: from Old French chamberlayn, of Frankish origin; related to Old High German chamarling chamberlain, Latin camera chamber]

ˈchamberlainˌship n

Chamberlain

(ˈtʃeɪmbəlɪn)

1. (Biography) Sir (Joseph) Austen. 1863–1937, British Conservative statesman; foreign secretary (1924–29); awarded a Nobel peace prize for his negotiation of the Locarno Pact (1925)

2. (Biography) his father, Joseph. 1836–1914, British statesman; originally a Liberal, he resigned in 1886 over Home Rule for Ireland and became leader of the Liberal Unionists; a leading advocate of preferential trading agreements with members of the British Empire

3. (Biography) his son, (Arthur) Neville. 1869–1940, British Conservative statesman; prime minister (1937–40): pursued a policy of appeasement towards Germany; following the German invasion of Poland, he declared war on Germany on Sept 3, 1939

4. (Biography) Owen. 1920–2006, US physicist, who discovered the antiproton. Nobel prize for physics jointly with Emilio Segré 1959

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cham•ber•lain

(ˈtʃeɪm bər lɪn)

n.

1. an official who manages the living quarters of a sovereign or member of the nobility.

2. the high steward or factor of a member of the nobility.

3. a high official of a royal court.

[1175–1225; Middle English < Old French, variant of chamberlenc < Frankish *kamerling=kamer (< Latin camera room; see chamber) + -ling -ling¹]

Cham•ber•lain

(ˈtʃeɪm bər lɪn)

n.

1. (Arthur) Neville, 1869–1940, British prime minister 1937–40.

2. Sir (Joseph) Austen, 1863–1937, British statesman: Nobel peace prize 1925.

3. Wilt(on Norman) ( “Wilt the Stilt” ), 1936–99, U.S. basketball player.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	Chamberlain - British statesman who as Prime Minister pursued a policy of appeasement toward fascist Germany (1869-1940) Arthur Neville Chamberlain, Neville Chamberlain
	2.	chamberlain - the treasurer of a municipal corporation financial officer, treasurer - an officer charged with receiving and disbursing funds
	3.	chamberlain - an officer who manages the household of a king or nobleman steward - someone who manages property or other affairs for someone else

Translations

chamberlain

[ˈtʃeɪmbəlɪn] N → chambelán m, gentilhombre m de cámara

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

chamberlain

n → Kammerherr m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

chamberlain

[ˈtʃeɪmbəlɪn] n → ciambellano

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

And my, how they did stare when the High Chamberlain threw open the doors and the visitors entered the Throne-Room!

Ozma's High Chamberlain now hurried forward to announce the names of the new arrivals, calling out in a loud voice:

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Indeed, it is by no means certain that the occupation would ever have been successful had not one of the three brothers, Paul, despicably, but very decisively declined to abide these things any longer, and, by surrendering all the secrets of the insurrection, ensured its overthrow and his own ultimate promotion to the post of chamberlain to Prince Otto.

It was a brilliant gathering, but very late, and gradually the Chamberlain--you saw his portrait, too: a man with black eyebrows, serious eyes, and a meaningless sort of smile underneath--the Chamberlain, I say, discovered there was everything there except the Prince himself.

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"I am afraid it will not go with my dress," she answered; "and, besides, the Chamberlain's nephew has sent me some real jewels, and everybody knows that jewels cost far more than flowers."

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'Not for gold and silver.' said she, 'but for flesh and blood.' The princess asked what she meant, and she said, 'Let me speak with the bridegroom this night in his chamber, and I will give thee the dress.' At last the princess agreed, but she told her chamberlain to give the prince a sleeping draught, that he might not hear or see her.

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They knew perfectly well what was cooking at every fire throughout the city, from the chamberlain's to the cobbler's; the court-ladies danced and clapped their hands.

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In those times a bed was always to be got there at any hour of the night, and the chamberlain, letting me in at his ready wicket, lighted the candle next in order on his shelf, and showed me straight into the bedroom next in order on his list.

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He was sent to a preparatory seminary in his father's dominions until he was ten years old, and was then despatched, in charge of a trusty messenger, to a finishing school at Athens; and as there was no extra charge for remaining during the holidays, and no notice required previous to the removal of a pupil, there he remained for eight long years, at the expiration of which time, the king his father sent the lord chamberlain over, to settle the bill, and to bring him home; which, the lord chamberlain doing, was received with shouts, and pensioned immediately.

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This lord, in conjunction with Flimnap the high-treasurer, whose enmity against you is notorious on account of his lady, Limtoc the general, Lalcon the chamberlain, and Balmuff the grand justiciary, have prepared articles of impeachment against you, for treason and other capital crimes."

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Chamberlain, take these people over to my brother, the Grand Duke's, and give them a square meal.

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The chamberlains who were used to carry the train put their hands near the floor as if they were lifting up the train; then they did as if they were holding something in the air.

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