Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web

pretor

 - 5 dictionary results

pre⋅tor

[pree-ter]
–noun
praetor.

prae⋅tor

[pree-ter]
–noun
(in the ancient Roman republic) one of a number of elected magistrates charged chiefly with the administration of civil justice and ranking next below a consul.
Also, pretor.


Origin:
1375–1425; late ME pretor < L praetor, for *praeitor leader, lit., one going before, equiv. to *praei-, var. s. of praeīre to go before, lead (prae- prae- + -i-, base of īre to go) + -tor -tor


prae⋅to⋅ri⋅al [pree-tawr-ee-uhl, -tohr-] , adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To pretor
prae·tor also pre·tor   (prē'tər)   
n.  An annually elected magistrate of the ancient Roman Republic, ranking below but having approximately the same functions as a consul.

[Middle English pretor, from Old French, from Latin praetor, perhaps from praeīre, to go before : prae-, pre- + īre, to go; see ei- in Indo-European roots.]
prae·to'ri·al (prē-tôr'ē-əl, -tōr'-) adj., prae'tor·ship' n.
pre·tor   (prē'tər)   
n.  Variant of praetor.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

praetor 
magistrate in ancient Rome (next in rant to consuls), c.1425, from L. prætor "one who goes before, a consul as leader of an army," from præ- "before" + root of ire "to go." Praetorian Guard is from cohors prætoria, the bodyguard troop of a Roman commander or emperor.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Search another word or see pretor on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us: