alguacil
bailiff — an official who carries out the orders of a judge or a town councilfuncionario que ejecuta las órdenes de un juez o de un ayuntamiento
Comes from Arabic
الوَزِير
al-wazīr
“the minister, the vizier”«el ministro, el visir»
Arabic today says
مُحْضِر
muḥḍir
Root
و ز ر
w-z-r
The article
Spanish kept the Arabic article al- glued to the word.
The story
From the vizier, the ruler's minister, to a lowly official: the word came down in rank on its way into Castilian. The w gave gu, as in Guadalquivir.Del visir, ministro del soberano, a un funcionario modesto: la palabra bajó de rango al cruzar al castellano. La w dio gu, como en Guadalquivir.
More words from the root و ز ر
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alcalde
mayor · presidente del ayuntamiento
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asesino
murderer, assassin · persona que mata a otra
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ataúd
coffin · caja donde se pone un cadáver para enterrarlo
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jinete
rider, horseman · persona que monta a caballo
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adalid
military leader; champion and figurehead of a movement · caudillo militar; guía y cabeza de un movimiento
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alcahuete
go-between in illicit love affairs, procurer; a gossip · persona que facilita relaciones amorosas ilícitas; chismoso
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