huissier

noun /ˈwiːsjeɪ/

1. A doorman; a domestic officer who guarded the doors to chambers in a mansion or similar large establishment.

   archaic

   She had neither chamberlain nor huissier to light the tapers in her chamber when she would retire, and the poor lady passed her time weeping, sighing, and lamenting; and from grief and neglect of herself losing all her beauty.

2. A huissier de justice, an officer of the court in various European countries roughly similar to a British bailiff.

   historical

Where it comes from

Borrowed from French huissier. Doublet of usher and possibly ostiary.

Adapted from the Wiktionary entry huissier (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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