sumpter

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English

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Etymology

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From Middle English, from Old French sommetier (pack-horse driver), from Late Latin *sagmatarius, from Latin sagma, from Ancient Greek σάγμα (ságma, pack-saddle).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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sumpter (plural sumpters)

  1. (historical) The driver of a packhorse.
  2. (historical) A packhorse; a beast of burden.
    • 1577, Raphaell Holinshed, The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande [], volume I, London: [] [Henry Bynneman] for Iohn Harrison, →OCLC:
      the ancient vse of somers and sumpter horsses is in maner vtterlie relinquished
    • 2008, Michael Jecks, The Prophecy of Death:
      The Bishop of Orange was watching carefully as men stored his papers in a cart, the King's steward and Despenser's bottler were stalking about among the wagons and sumpter horses ensuring that all was packed, while clerks of the various departments of state were hurrying about, squeaking at men who looked as though they might drop a chest or misstore a box in the wrong wagon, and generally getting in the way of everyone else while making themselves thoroughly miserable at the same time.
  3. (obsolete) A pack; a burden.

See also

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Anagrams

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