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Scottish: originally an
occupational name for an administrative official of an
estate, from Middle English stiward, Old English stigweard,
stiweard, a compound of stig ‘house(hold)’ + weard
‘guardian’. In Old English times this title was used of an
officer controlling the domestic affairs of a household,
especially of the royal household; after the Conquest it was
also used more widely as the native equivalent of Seneschal
for the steward of a manor or manager of an estate.source |
