gendarme

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh₁tis Proto-Italic *gentis Latin gentem Old French gentder. French gents French gens Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Indo-European *-h₁ Proto-Indo-European *déh₁ Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Old French de Middle French de French d' Proto-Indo-European *h₂er-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₂(e)rmosder. Late Latin arma Old French arme Middle French arme French armes French gens d'armes French gendarmesbf. French gendarmebor. English gendarme Borrowed from French gendarme, a back-formation from gendarmes, from gens d'armes (“people of arms, armed people”), from gens + d' + armes.

1. A member of the gendarmerie, a military body charged with police duties.
2. A policeman.

   “The US is tempted to play the role of global gendarme because everyone knows that the UN, as it is, lacks the resources and capacity to fill this role.”

3. A rock pinnacle on a mountain ridge.

   “The previous attempts foundered when they tried to take this gendarme directly.”

   “The Arete starts easily, with several beautiful, loping pitches leading to a striking gendarme.”