posse

noun

pos·​se ˈpä-sē 

1

: a large group often with a common interest

2

: a body of persons summoned by a sheriff to assist in preserving the public peace usually in an emergency

3

: a group of people temporarily organized to make a search (as for a lost child)

4

: entourage sense 1

Did you know?

Posse started out in English as part of a term from common law, posse comitatus, which in Medieval Latin translates as “power or authority of the county.” Posse comitatus referred to a group of citizens summoned by a reeve (a medieval official) or sheriff to preserve the public peace as allowed for by law. “Preserving the public peace” so often meant hunting down a supposed criminal that posse eventually came to refer to any group organized to make a search or embark on a mission, and today one may read about posses organized for search and rescue efforts. In even broader use it can refer to any group, period. Sometimes nowadays that group is a gang or a rock band but it can as easily be any group—of politicians, models, architects, tourists, children, or what have you—acting together for some shared purpose.

Synonyms

• cortege
• cortège
• entourage
• following
• retinue
• suite
• tail
• train

Examples of posse in a Sentence

The sheriff and his posse rode out to look for the bandits.

I went to the game with my posse.

Recent Examples on the Web

Those members of the posse all died horribly because Billy always gets his revenge. —Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2024

From her posse of friends and family to the details of her game day look, see the best photos of Swift at the Sept. 15 Chiefs game at Arrowhead Stadium. —Alexandra Schonfeld, Peoplemag, 16 Sep. 2024

Mack has also espoused his view that every sheriff should have his own posse. —David Gilbert, WIRED, 24 Oct. 2024

As someone who grew up in Wisconsin, Milwaukee meant annual Brewers game field trips, concerts at the Bradley Center or The Rave and meeting up with friends at Summerfest (posse of parents included). —Journal Sentinel, 10 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin posse comitatus, literally, power or authority of the county

First Known Use

1645, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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Kids Definition

posse

noun

pos·​se ˈpäs-ē 

1

: a group of people called upon by a sheriff for help (as in pursuit of a criminal)

2

: a number of people organized to make a search (as for a lost child)