arrière-ban

ar·ri·ère-ban

 (ăr′ē-âr-bän′, -băn′)

n.

1. A medieval royal proclamation by which vassals were summoned to military service.

2. The vassals summoned.

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[French, from Old French ariere-ban, alteration (influenced by arere, behind) of herban; see koro- in Indo-European roots.]

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.

arrière-ban

(arjɛrbɑ̃)

n

1. (Historical Terms) (in medieval France) a summons to the king's vassals to do military service

2. (Military) (in medieval France) a summons to the king's vassals to do military service

3. (Historical Terms) the vassals so assembled for military service

4. (Military) the vassals so assembled for military service

[C16: changed from Old French herban call to arms, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German heriban, from heri army + ban summons, ban²]

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

ar•ri•ère-ban

(ˈær i ɛrˈbæn, -ˈbɑ̃)

n.

1. the summoning of the king's vassals for military service in medieval France.

2. the vassals summoned.

[1515–25; < French]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.