sergeant at arms

noun phrase

: an officer of an organization (such as a legislative body or court of law) who preserves order and executes commands

Examples of sergeant at arms in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In December, Sexton and his co-defendants – who include members of the clerk’s office and the sergeant at arms – filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, which remains ongoing. Dakin Andone, CNN, 13 Feb. 2024 The House sergeant at arms recently received a subpoena from the Justice Department seeking records related to Bush's use of security funds, two sources familiar with the matter told CBS News. Michael Kaplan, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2024 Chris Reeves and Solange Schwalbe continue in their roles as treasurer and sergeant at arms, respectively. Carolyn Giardina, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Dec. 2023 Tennessee State House votes to 'silence' Rep. Justin Jones, 1 of 2 Democrats expelled earlier this year The state House chief clerk, chief sergeant at arms, and assistant chief clerk and parliamentarian are named as co-defendants. Devon M. Sayers, CNN, 3 Oct. 2023 The sergeant at arms, who is elected by senators and acts as a protocol officer and law enforcement, enforced the dress code, which is not explicitly spelled out on paper. Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2023 The debate on the bill was interrupted twice by protesters shouting until Senate President Kathleen Passidomo ordered the sergeant at arms to escort everyone out of the galleries and shut them down. Jeffrey Schweers, Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sergeant at arms.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sergeant at arms was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near sergeant at arms

Cite this Entry

“Sergeant at arms.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sergeant%20at%20arms. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sergeant at arms

: an officer of a court of law or a lawmaking body appointed to keep order

More from Merriam-Webster on sergeant at arms

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