seneschal

Noun

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

the chief steward or butler of a great householdSynonyms: major-domo

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Seneschal \Sen"es*chal\, n. [OF. seneschal, LL. seniscalcus, of Teutonic origin; cf. Goth. sineigs old, skalks, OHG. scalch, AS. scealc. Cf. Senior, Marshal.] An officer in the houses of princes and dignitaries, in the Middle Ages, who had the superintendence of feasts and domestic ceremonies; a steward. Sometimes the seneschal had the dispensing of justice, and was given high military commands. [1913 Webster]

Then marshaled feast Served up in hall with sewers and seneschale. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

Philip Augustus, by a famous ordinance in 1190, first established royal courts of justice, held by the officers called baitiffs, or seneschals, who acted as the king's lieutenants in his demains. --Hallam. [1913 Webster]