seneschal

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sen·e·schal

(sĕn′ə-shəl)

An official in a medieval noble household in charge of domestic arrangements and the administration of servants; a steward or major-domo.

[Middle English, from Old French, of Germanic origin.]

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.

seneschal

(ˈsɛnɪʃəl)

1. (Historical Terms) a steward of the household of a medieval prince or nobleman who took charge of domestic arrangements, etc

2. (Ecclesiastical Terms) Brit a cathedral official

[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 and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

sen•e•schal

(ˈsɛn ə ʃəl)

n.

a steward in charge of the household of a medieval prince or dignitary.

[1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French < Frankish; compare Medieval Latin seniscalcus senior servant, c. Old High German senescalh (sene- old, senior + scalh servant)]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun

seneschal - the chief steward or butler of a great household

major-domo

servant, retainer - a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)

Translations

SeneschallTruchsess

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References in classic literature ?

The chief then made a sign to the old pipe- bearer, who seemed to fill, likewise, the station of herald, seneschal, and public crier, for he ascended to the top of the lodge to make proclamation.

All being seated, the old seneschal prepared the pipe of ceremony or council, and having lit it, handed it to the chief.

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As to that, said Sir Launcelot, I will not take your yielding unto me, but so that ye yield you unto Sir Kay the seneschal, on that covenant I will save your lives and else not.

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Then came twelve pages, together with the seneschal, to lead him to dinner, as his hosts were already waiting for him.

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We behold, with throbbing bosoms, the heroine in the grasp of a proud and ruthless baron: her virtue and her life alike in danger, drawing forth her dagger to preserve the one at the cost of the other; and just as our expectations are wrought up to the highest pitch, a whistle is heard, and we are straightway transported to the great hall of the castle; where a grey-headed seneschal sings a funny chorus with a funnier body of vassals, who are free of all sorts of places, from church vaults to palaces, and roam about in company, carolling perpetually.

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You mind last year when he came down to Malwood, with his inner marshal and his outer marshal, his justiciar, his seneschal, and his four and twenty guardsmen.

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The gods must seat themselves without seneschal in our Olympus, and as they can instal themselves by seniority divine.

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``Two of the humblest servants of Mother Church!'' repeated Wamba to himself, but, fool as he was, taking care not to make his observation audible; ``I should like to see her seneschals, her chief butlers, and other principal domestics!''

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Mrs Kelly of Seneschal Road, told the telegraph: "There are two masts in Cheylesmore - one at the old Safeway and one on Humber Road.

Phone mast fault leaves mobile black-spot; area in south of city without service

Mrs Kelly of Seneschal Road, told CoventryLive: "There are two masts inCheylesmore-- one at the old Safeway and one on Humber Road.

EE Phone mast fault leaves south of the city in mobile black-spot; Masts run by the network operator EE were down after losing power supplies

The demesne was used for agriculture as arable land was an important revenue stream, and the power of the town seneschal was wide-ranging.