English
marshal
Marshal comes from Anglo-Norman mareschal ‘farrier’, and goes back to Medieval Latin mariscalcus ‘groom, army commander, court dignitary’.
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500mariscalcus‘groom, army commander, court dignitary’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400mareschal‘farrier’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500marschal‘a marshal’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588marshal
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500mariscalcus‘groom, army commander, court dignitary’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400mareschal‘farrier’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500marschal‘a marshal’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1587–1588marshal
Earliest quotation: c. 1587–1588, Christopher Marlowe, Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […]: “Our conquering ſwords ſhal marſhal vs the way UUe…”
Linked words
through Proto-Germanic *marhaz ‘horse’
Today it means
noun A high-ranking officer in the household of a medieval prince or lord, who was originally in charge of the cavalry and later the military forces in general.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Medieval Latin mariscalcus / marshal