pretor Meaning, Definition & Usage

Pre"tor noun

Etymology

L. praetor, for praeitor, fr. praeire to go before; prae before + ire to go. See Issue.

Definitions

1. (Rom. Antiq.) A civil officer or magistrate among the ancient Romans. ✍ Originally the pretor was a kind of third consul; but at an early period two pretors were appointed, the first of whom (praetor urbanus) was a kind of mayor or city judge; the other (praetor peregrinus) was a judge of cases in which one or both of the parties were foreigners. Still later, the number of pretors, or judges, was further increased.
2. Hence, a mayor or magistrate. R. Dryden.