Dictionary

starosta en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• stərŏsʹtə
• stăʹrŏstə
• (Southern-England) audio
• /stəˈɹɒstə/
• /ˈstaɹɒstə/

Etymology

From Russian ста́роста (stárosta) and Polish starosta, both ultimately from Proto-Slavic *starosta, from *starostь (“old age”) + *-a (suffix forming agent nouns).

Meanings

1. In Russia, the head man of a village community.
   • At Nijni Novgorod…the starosta, or chief of the village artel, comes to buy the supply of material. 1901 April 5th, Scotsman, page 7/2:
   • They…are governed by their own elders or starosti. 1833, R. Pinkerton, Russia, page 281:
   • Any person arriving in a town or village, must produce his [passport] to the starosta. 1810, E. D. Clarke, Trav. Russia, published 1839, page 37/1:
   • Their elders, whom they still…style Starosts. 1799, W. Tooke, View Russ. Emp., volume I, page 460:
   • One family, whose chief…performs the functions of staroste, or magistrate of the village. 1796, Morse, Amer. Geog., volume II, page 84:
   • Beſides theſe two Gentlemen, and Secretaries that order the whole Citie, there are Staruſts or Aldermen for euerie ſeuerall companie. The Alderman hath his Sotskey or Conſtable, and the Conſtable hath certeine Decetskeis or Decurions vnder him, which haue the ouerſight of ten houſholds a peece, whereby euerie diſorder is ſooner ſpide, and the common ſeruice hath the quicker diſpach. The whole number of Citizens poore and rich are reduced into companies. The chiefe officers (as the Dyacks and Gentlemen) are appointed by the Emperour himſelfe, the Staruſt by the Gentlemen and Dyacks, the Sotskoy by the Staruſt or Alderman, and the Decetskotes by the Conſtables. 1591, Giles Fletcher, “Of the gouernment of their Prouinces and Shires.” (chapter 10), in Of the Ruſſe Common Wealth. Or, Maner of Gouernement by the Ruſſe Emperour, (commonly called the Emperour of Moskouia) with the manners, and faſhions of the people of that Countrey., London: Thomas Charde, fol. 33𐞩, lines 7–23:
2. In the former kingdom of Poland, a noble holding a castle and domain bestowed by the Crown.
   • His father was the starost of Korytnik. 1827, Bowring, Specim. Polish Poets, page 137:
   • She assures us that she and her sisters have the bearing ‘becoming young ladies of high station, and daughters of a Staroste’. 1896, Cosmopolitan, volume XX, page 445:
   • Major-General Bokumbs…has been lately killed by a Peasant, who was hired to commit the murther by a Staroste. 1670, Lond. Gaz., № 504/1:

Forms

Relateds

starosty · starostynskyi

Synonyms

alderman

Translations (3)

izh staarosta (Russia: head man of a village community) · pl starosta (Russia: head man of a village community) · pl starosta (Poland: noble holding a castle and domain bestowed by the Crown)