French

Noun

praesidium m ‎(plural praesidiums)

1. Alternative spelling of présidium

Latin

Etymology

From praeses.

Noun

praesidium n ‎(genitive praesidiī); second declension

1. defence, protection, help, aid, assistance
   • 100 BCE – 44 BCE, Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 1.44

     Amicitiam populi Romani sibi ornamento et praesidio, non detrimento esse oportere, atque se hac spe petisse.

     That the friendship of the Roman people ought to prove to him an ornament and a safeguard, not a detriment; and that he sought it with that expectation.

2. guard, garrison, convoy, escort

Inflection

Second declension.

Descendants

• English: presidio (via Spanish)
• French: présidium, praesidium, præsidium
• Italian: presidio
• Portuguese: presídio
• Spanish: presidio
• Russian: президиум ‎(prezidium)

References

• praesidium in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• praesidium in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• PRAESIDIUM in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• Félix Gaffiot (1934), “praesidium”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.
• Meissner, Carl; Auden, Henry William (1894) Latin Phrase-Book, London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to protect the troops in the rear: novissimis praesidio esse
    
  • to garrison a town: praesidiis firmare urbem
    
  • to garrison a town: praesidium collocare in urbe
    
  • to station posts, pickets, at intervals: praesidia, custodias disponere
    
  • to strengthen the camp by outposts: castra praesidiis firmare
    
  • to leave troops to guard the camp: praesidio castris milites relinquere
    
• praesidium in William Smith., editor (1854, 1857) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, volume 1 & 2, London: Walton and Maberly
• praesidium in Richard Stillwell et al., editor (1976) The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press