alguacil

Spanish

Etymology

From Andalusian Arabic الوَزِير (alwazīr), from Arabic وَزِير (wazīr, “minister”). Compare visir and Italian aguzzino.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Spain) /alɡwaˈθil/ [al.ɣ̞waˈθil]
• IPA^(key): (Latin America, Philippines) /alɡwaˈsil/ [al.ɣ̞waˈsil]

Noun

alguacil m (plural alguaciles)

1. bailiff
2. sheriff

   Synonyms: sheriff, cherife

3. (Argentina, Uruguay) dragonfly, damselfly

   Synonyms: libélula, aguacil

Alternative forms

• (bailiff): alguazil (obsolete)

Derived terms

• aguacil

Descendants

• → Southeastern Tepehuan: orosiir
• → Tagalog: alguwasil

Further reading

• “alguacil”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014