bailiff

Meaning

Noun

• An officer of the court, particularly:
• A public administrator, particularly:
• A private administrator, particularly
• Any debt collector, regardless of his or her official status.

Related

Similar words

• high bailiff, high-bailiff; warrant officer, beadle ; catchpoll, bumbailiff ; process server
• High-bailiff, High Bailiff; see also mayor
• See castellan
• bailly
• See bailie
• consul ; capitoul ; jurat
• See landvogt
• See steward
• See overseer

Broader meaning words

• bumbailiff
• circuit court bailiff
• district court bailiff
• farm bailiff
• magistrates' bailiff
• jury bailiff
• private bailiff
• provincial bailiff

Origin

• From Middle English baillif, baylyf, from Anglo-Norman and Old French bailif (plural bailis), probably from Vulgar Latin *bāiulivus ("castellan"), from Latin bāiulus ("porter; steward"), whence also bail. As a translation of foreign titles, , , , etc. Mostly replaced the role of native reeve. bailo.