gendarme

[zhahn-dahrm; French zhahn-darm] /ˈʒɑn dɑrm; French ʒɑ̃ˈdarm/
noun, plural gendarmes
[zhahn-dahrmz; French zhahn-darm] /ˈʒɑn dɑrmz; French ʒɑ̃ˈdarm/ (Show IPA)
1.
a police officer in any of several European countries, especially a French police officer.
2.
a soldier, especially in France, serving in an army group acting as armed police with authority over civilians.
3.
(formerly) a cavalryman in charge of a French cavalry squad.
Origin
1540-50; < Middle French, earlier gens d'armes, alteration of gent d'armes people at arms
Examples from the web for gendarme
  • The gendarme started scanning the map, which bothered me a bit for two reasons.
  • He was shot by a gendarme after allegedly forcing his way through a roadblock.
  • Authorities also administered beatings in temporary holding cells within police or gendarme facilities.
  • Allegations were also made that authorities administered beatings in temporary holding cells within police or gendarme facilities.
  • gendarme training included respect for human rights.
  • Authorities often administered beatings in temporary holding cells within a police or gendarme facility.
  • Authorities administered beatings in temporary holding cells within police or gendarme facilities.
British Dictionary definitions for gendarme

gendarme

/ˈʒɒndɑːm; French ʒɑ̃darm/
noun
1.
a member of the police force in France or in countries formerly influenced or controlled by France
2.
a slang word for a policeman
3.
a sharp pinnacle of rock on a mountain ridge, esp in the Alps
Word Origin
C16: from French, from gens d'armes people of arms
Word Origin and History for gendarme
n.

1540s, "mounted trooper," from French contraction (14c.) of gens d'armes "men at arms," later applied to military police (1796 in English). Gens is plural of gent "nation, people," from Latin gentem (nominative gens) "race, nation, people" (see genus). Related: Gendarmerie. French also had gens de (la) robe "lawyers," sometimes borrowed in English.