marshal

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈmɑrʃəl/ UK /ˈmɑːʃ(ə)l/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to arrange or assemble in order; or a high-ranking officer

The general marshaled his forces along the ridge before dawn.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to arrange or assemble in... organize arrange assemble muster array mobilize

Opposites

scatter disperse disorganize

Word family

Derived forms marshalledmarshallingmarshalship

Related forms marshalseafield-marshal

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

earl marshal
an English noble officer responsible for royal processions and ceremonies

Noun + noun

Simplified etymology

Marshal belongs to the same Germanic word family as Old English mearh “horse.” In the Middle English period it originally denoted someone responsible for horses.

Etymology

From Old French mareschal ('officer in charge of horses, military commander'), from Frankish *marhskalk, literally 'horse-servant', from *marh ('horse') + *skalk ('servant'). The senses 'high officer' and 'to arrange in order' both descend from this.

mareschal Old French *marhaskalkaz Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# marshal

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈmɑrʃəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈmɑːʃ(ə)l/

## Meanings
1. to arrange or assemble in order; or a high-ranking officer

## Examples
- The general marshaled his forces along the ridge before dawn.

## Synonyms
- organize
- arrange
- assemble
- muster
- array
- mobilize

## Antonyms
- scatter
- disperse
- disorganize

## Derived Forms
- marshalled
- marshalling
- marshalship

## Related Forms
- marshalsea
- field-marshal

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: mareschal
- Root: *marhaskalkaz

## Etymology
From Old French mareschal ('officer in charge of horses, military commander'), from Frankish *marhskalk, literally 'horse-servant', from *marh ('horse') + *skalk ('servant'). The senses 'high officer' and 'to arrange in order' both descend from this.

## AI Etymology
Marshal comes from Old French mareschal ('officer in charge of horses, military commander'), from Frankish *marhskalk, literally 'horse-servant', from *marh ('horse') + *skalk ('servant'). The senses 'high officer' and 'to arrange in order' both descend from this. The etymological trail includes Old French mareschal, Proto-Germanic *marhaskalkaz. The same word family includes marshalled, marshalling, marshalship, marshalsea, field-marshal. Its current verb use means "to arrange or assemble in order; or a high-ranking officer".

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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