lawman

Meaning

Noun

• A lawspeaker: a declarer of the law.
• One of 12 magistrates in certain Danish boroughs of England empowered with soc and sac over their own households.
• The presiding justice of the supreme court.
• A man of the law: a lawyer.
• An officer of the law: a law-enforcement officer.

Related

Similar words

• lawspeaker
• lageman, lagman
• lawman-general, lagman

Origin

• From Middle English laweman, laȝaman (as a man's name, Laȝamon, Layamon), from Old English lahmann, from Old Norse logmaðr. In present use as a law-enforcement officer, law + -man.