alguacil
noun
al·gua·cil
¦al-gwə-¦sēl,
-¦sil
variants or alguazil
¦al-gwə-¦zēl,
-¦zil
plural alguacils or alguaciles
ˌal-gwə-ˈsē-(ˌ)lās
or alguazils 1
: an officer of justice in Spain, formerly of high rank, now of inferior rank
2
: a sheriff or constable in Latin-American countries or in regions under Spanish influence
Word History
Etymology
Spanish alguacil (formerly alguazil), from Arabic al-wazīr the vizier
First Known Use
1670, in the meaning defined at sense 1