cornet, noun

Origin:
Dutch, EnglishShow more Englished form of Dutch kornet a military rank, perhaps influenced by English cornet cavalry officer.
historical
field cornet sense 1.
1795 G.D. Gerotz et al. in G.M. Theal Rec. of Cape Col. (1897) I. 211Your Excellency’s most obedient servants, [signed] Carel David Gerotz, provisional Landdrost, A. van Jaarsveld, Captain, Andries Adriaan Smit, Cornet.
1843 J. Collett Diary. II. 2 Mar.Saw the Cornet this Evg. for the first time.
1878 T.J. Lucas Camp Life & Sport 161One of my fellow cornets..asks me to dine with him.
1955 V.M. Fitzroy Dark Bright Land 30He is grown a likely young Man, and being now a Cornet..is sure that fame and glory await him.
1971 J. Ploeger in Std Encycl. of Sn Afr. III. 342Increasing friction with the Bushmen led to the decision in 1774 to reorganise the defence..by instituting the office of ‘veldcommandant’. These..office-bearers were invested with the rank of ‘cornet’ and were placed in charge of thirteen field-corporals.
1972 D.W. Krüger in Std Encycl. of Sn Afr. VII. 397In the mounted units [of the Burgher Militia] there were the following ranks: a ‘ritmeester’, a lieutenant, a cornet,..and one adjutant to every company of dragoons.
Derivatives:
Hence cornetcy  noun; cornetship  noun  jocular nonce.
1800 G. Yonge in G.M. Theal Rec. of Cape Col. (1898) III. 360There were only two Cases out of the succession one a Son of B. Gen. Fraser’s to a vacant Cornetcy.
1809 R. Collins in G.M. Theal Rec. of Cape Col. (1900) VII. 20The veld cornets might warn one of their inhabitants to proceed to the drostdy once a week..to receive the Courant and whatever letters there may be for his cornetship.
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17951972

Derivatives

cornetcy
cornetship

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Corner House, noun phrasen. phr.Corporaal, nounn.
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