Origin: 1225–75; Middle English marshal, syncopated variant of mareschal < Old French < Germanic; compare Old High German marahscalh groom, equivalent to marah horse (see mare1) + scalh servant, cognate with Old English scealc
Related forms
mar·shal·cy, mar·shal·ship, noun
mar·shal·er; especially British, mar·shal·ler, noun
re·mar·shal, verb (used with object), -shaled, -shal·ing or (especially British) -shalled, -shal·ling.
early 13c., from O.Fr. mareschal, originally "stable officer, horse tender, groom" (Frankish L. mariscaluis) from Frank. *marhskalk, lit. "horse-servant" (cf. O.H.G. marahscalc "groom"), from P.Gmc. *markhaz "horse" (see mare (1)) + *skalkaz "servant" (cf. Du. schalk "rogue,
wag," Goth. skalks "servant"). Cognate with O.E. horsþegn. For development history, cf. constable. The verb "to arrange for fighting" is from 1580s. Related: Marshaled.