\Sen"es*chal\, n. [OF. seneschal, LL. seniscalcus, of
Teutonic origin; cf. Goth. sineigs old, skalks, OHG. scalch,
AS. scealc. Cf. {Senior}, {Marshal}.]
An officer in the houses of princes and dignitaries, in the
Middle Ages, who had the superintendence of feasts and
domestic ceremonies; a steward. Sometimes the seneschal had
the dispensing of justice, and was given high military
commands.
      Then marshaled feast Served up in hall with sewers and
      seneschale.                              --Milton.
      Philip Augustus, by a famous ordinance in 1190, first
      established royal courts of justice, held by the
      officers called baitiffs, or seneschals, who acted as
      the king's lieutenants in his demains.   --Hallam.