schout

noun

ˈskau̇t

plural -s

1

: a Dutch bailiff or sheriff

2

: a person vested in the former Dutch colonies of America with local judicial functions

Word History

Etymology

Dutch, from Middle Dutch schoutete count's or bishop's agent with judicial powers in civil cases; akin to Old English sculthēta bailiff, Old High German sculdheizo magistrate; all from a prehistoric West Germanic compound noun whose first constituent is represented by Old English scyld debt, obligation and whose second constituent is akin to Old English hātan to command

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