posse comitatus
American
[pos-ee kom-i-tah-tuhs, -tey-]
/ ˈpɒs i ˌkɒm ɪˈtɑ təs, -ˈteɪ- /
noun
-
the body of persons that a peace officer of a county is empowered to call upon for assistance in preserving the peace, making arrests, and serving writs.
-
a body of persons so called into service.
posse comitatus
British
/ ˌkɒmɪˈtɑːtəs /
noun
Etymology
Origin of posse comitatus
1620–30; < Medieval Latin: posse of the county
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.