referendary en · NOUN
Etymology
From Latin referendarius, from Latin referendus (“to be referred”), gerundive of referre. Compare French référendaire. See refer.
Meanings
-
(obsolete) One to whose decision a cause is referred; a referee.
let him choose well his referendaries , for else he may be led by the nose
1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Suitors”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
-
(historical) An officer who delivered the royal answer to petitions.
In the writs of Merovingian kings , the king normally signed his name first , and his referendary followed
1941, The Cambridge Historical Journal:referendaries were involved in the presentation of petitions to the king
1992, P. S. Barnwell, Emperor, Prefects & Kings: The Roman West:
- (obsolete) An officer of state charged with the duty of procuring and dispatching diplomas and decrees.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| referendaries | Number=Plur | lexicographic |