Meanings
- not comparableOf or relating to constables.
plural constabularies
- countableuncountableA police force.
- countableuncountableThe police in a particular district or area.
[…] the wretched creature went to the police for help; she was versed in the law, and perhaps had spared no pains to keep on good terms with the local constabulary.
1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XLIV, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, page 3611 more example
As Hiro is entering their neighborhood, he sees men running down the undulating pontoon bridge that serves as the main street, carrying guns and knives. The local constabulary.
1992, Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash, page 385
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe force of policemen and officers
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
From mediaeval Latin conestabularia, a noun use of the feminine version of conestabularius, from Latin constabulus, from comes stabuli, literally ‘master of the stables’.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian полиция
- полиция (policija)police force
Czech policejní sbor
- policejní sborpolice force
Dutch politiemacht
- politiemachtpolice force
French gendarmerie
- gendarmeriepolice force
Greek χωροφυλακή
- χωροφυλακή (chorofylakí)police force
Latin vigilia
- vigiliapolice force
Russian полицейские силы
- полицейские силы (policejskije sily)police force
Spanish policía, fuerza pública
- policíapolice force
- fuerza públicapolice force
Cite this entry
constabulary. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/constabulary
“constabulary.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/constabulary. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “constabulary,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/constabulary.
Source: constabulary on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.