comitatusn.
/kɒmɪˈteɪtəs/ 1.
a. A body of comites or companions; a retinue of warriors or nobles attached to the person of a king or chieftain.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > warriors collectively > comitatus or military followers > [noun]
merry manc1390
gallantsa1529
comitat1795
comitatus1875
society > society and the community > social class > nobility > [noun] > noble person or man > body of nobles attached to king
comitat1795
comitatus1875
society > authority > subjection > service > servant > retainer or follower > [noun] > armed retainer or bodyguard > body of
watchmena1483
train guard1650
bodyguard1701
comitatus1875
1875 W. Stubbs Constit. Hist. (ed. 2) I. vi. 152 The development of the comitatus into a territorial nobility seems to be a feature peculiar to English History.
1875 H. J. S. Maine Lect. Early Hist. Inst. v. 138 The first aristocracy springing from kingly favour consisted of the Comitatus or Companions of the King.
b. The status or relationship of such a body to their chief.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > subjection > service > servant > retainer or follower > [noun] > armed retainer or bodyguard > body of > relationship of
comitatus1875
1875 W. Stubbs Constit. Hist. (ed. 2) I. vi. 160 The Danish jarl..seems to have been more certainly connected by the tie of comitatus with his king than the Anglo-Saxon ealdorman.
2. An (English) county; as in the legal phrase posse comitatus (posse comitatus n. 1).
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1891; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1875