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constabulary

constabulary

6 8.1
A local police force that serves a county or town
  • noun
  • /kənˈstæbjʊˌlɛri/
  • UK
translation icon : cuerpo de policía
  • Our constabulary managed to diminish the number of murders, but we're forced to recognize the Thuggee still exists.
  • constabulary force
  • constabulary role

Examples

  • Counterterrorist operations in these latter cases should basically be a constabulary matter.

    Academic text (1991)
  • I must report this to the constabulary.

  • Come back to the constabulary with us.

  • The jury thought he was probably not on the payroll of the constabulary, but was a simple country doctor.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Sergeant in the Royal Irish Constabulary.

  • As cityside president Len Johnson is led away by the constabulary.

  • Miscreants may be freed only by a duly-appointed member of the constabulary.

  • Instead, for example, one miscreant had been seized by the constabulary for the high crime of kicking lamp posts.

    Academic text (2006)
  • I must report this incident to the constabulary to ensure it is handled properly.

  • The young constabulary officer provided assistance during the community event.

Synonyms

police
vsconstabulary
1.0

People who enforce laws, prevent crime, and keep public order

is the regional British term often used in older contexts
police department
vsconstabulary
  • US
179 1.3

A local government group that enforces laws and prevents crime

is a broader regional name rather than a local government division
police force
vsconstabulary
146 2.0

A group of officers who keep order and safety in a town or city

is the British or historical regional term for that same service
gendarmerie
vsconstabulary
1 9.9

A police force organized like an army that patrols the countryside and highways

is a civilian regional name rather than a military style unit

Surface Forms

constabulary singular

Morphology

constabulary = constable (transparent) = constable + ary

The noun denotes the organization relating to 'constable' formed by a standard suffix '-ary', so a learner who knows 'constable' can infer the meaning.

Etymology

The word constabulary comes from constable, which long ago meant 'keeper of the stable' and later 'local officer'. A constabulary is the group of those officers, so the word now means the police force for an area.