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gendarmes - 2 dictionary results

gen⋅darme

[zhahn-dahrm; Fr. zhahn-darm]
–noun, plural -darmes [-dahrmz; Fr. -darm] .
1. a police officer in any of several European countries, esp. a French police officer.
2. a soldier, esp. 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; < MF, earlier gens d'armes, alter. of gent d'armes people at arms
gen·darme   (zhän'därm', zhäɴ'därm')   
n.  
  1. A member of the French national police organization constituting a branch of the armed forces with responsibility for general law enforcement.
  2. Slang A police officer.

[French, from Old French gent d'armes, gendarme, sing. of gens d'armes, mounted soldiers, men-at-arms : gens, people, men (from Latin gentēs, pl. of gēns, clan; see genə- in Indo-European roots) + de, of (from Latin ; see de-) + armes, pl. of arme, weapon; see arm2.]
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