coistril

C2+ Topic:Register & Style
US /ˈkɔɪstrəl/ UK /ˈkɔɪstrɪl/
noun

Meanings

  1. 1
    noun

    a knave or base fellow; a groom or knight's attendant (archaic)

    The duke dismissed him as a mere coistril unworthy of the hall.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 noun · a knave or base fellow; a... knaverascalgroomvarletscoundrel
Word family
Related forms kestrelcustrel

Etymology

A variant of custrel, from Old French coustillier 'knave, knight's attendant', from coustille 'a dagger', from Latin cultellus 'small knife'; influenced by association with the kestrel hawk.

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Topics

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