seneschal
(ˈsɛnɪʃəl)
Forms: 4–5, 7 senescal(l, 4–7 seneschall, 5 senescha, senesshawle, senceall, sencial, sencyal, 5, 9 seneshall, 6–8 seneshal, 7 scenechal, 4– seneschal.
[a. OF. seneschal (mod.F. sénéchal) = Pr. senescal-s, Sp., Pg. senescal, It. siniscalco, sescalco; a Com. Rom. word ad. Teut. *seniscalc (latinized seniscalcus, siniscalcus, in the Frankish and Alamannic laws), f. OTeut. *seni- old (in Goth. sinista superl. of sineigs old) + *skalko-z servant (Goth. skalk-s, OHG. scalc, OE. scealc). The Fr. word was adopted in MHG. as seneschalt, scheneschlant.]
1. An official in the household of a sovereign or great noble, to whom the administration of justice and entire control of domestic arrangements were entrusted. In wider use: a steward, ‘major-domo’.
| 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. i. 93 Somme aren as seneschals and seruen oþere lordes. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1868) 86 Amon was seneschalle of the king. 1470–85 Malory Arthur i. xiv. 55 Thenne syr kay cam vnto syr Morganore sencial with the king of the C knyghtes. 1596 Spenser F.Q. vi. i. 15 Which to prouide, she hath this Castle dight, And therein hath a Seneschall assynd. 1612 Davies Why Ireland, etc. 221 These great Lordes..managed their estates heere, by their Seneschals and Seruants. 1667 Milton P.L. ix. 38 Then marshal'd Feast Serv'd up in Hall with Sewers, and Seneshals. 1725 Pope Odyss. iv. 47 The Seneshal rebuk'd, in haste withdrew. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. li, The respectable gentleman who acts as seneschal on the Duke's domains. 1875 Maine Hist. Instit. v. 139 Whence came this great exaltation of..great Seneschal or Steward. |
| fig. 1854 Emerson Lett. & Soc. Aims Wks. (Bohn) III. 176 For example, what a seneschal and detective is laughter! |
b. A cathedral official in England.
| 1882 Standard 31 Aug. 3/5 Mr. H. G. Austin, the Cathedral seneschal, said the Chapter [Canterbury] did not press for a heavy penalty. |
2. As the title of a governor of a city or province, and of various administrative or judicial officers. Now only
Hist. exc. with reference to the Channel Islands.
| c 1400 Brut 232 To bene Senescal and wardein of Gascoigne. 1539 in Hore Hist. Wexford (1900) I. 239 Wm. Seyntlow..beyng chief officer of the said shire by the name of Seneschall. 1580 Hollyband Treas. Fr. Tong, Seneschaux,..Seneschals, Bailifs, other officers or stewardes of courtes. 1586 Cal. St. Papers, Irel. 1586–1588, 41 Nicholas Dawtrey, gent., Seneschal of Claneboy. c 1630 Risdon Surv. Devon (1810) 13 The High Seneschal of the Dutchy of Cornwall..in English..is termed Lord Warden. 1675 Essex Papers (Camden) I. 309 All is forfited & taken up by the Shiriffe or Senescall. 1862 Ansted Channel Isl. iv. xxiii. (ed. 2) 537 The court at Sark consists of the seneschal, or judge, or his deputy, the prevôt and the greffier. |
3. attrib.| 1756 Gentl. Mag. XXVI. 333 The officers of the seneschal jurisdiction of Auvergne. |