Pronunciation: [mˈɑːʃə͡l] (IPA) 
The word "marshal" is spelled as /ˈmɑːrʃəl/ in IPA phonetic transcription. This word refers to a military officer who leads and organizes a group of soldiers. The first syllable "mar" is pronounced as "mahr" with the stress on the first syllable. The second syllable "shal" is pronounced as "shuhl" with an "uh" sound as in "but". The silent "l" at the end is not pronounced, making the last syllable sound like "shul".
Marshal (noun):
1. A marshal refers to an officer in various military and law enforcement organizations responsible for enforcing and maintaining order. Typically holding a high rank, marshals serve as leaders, organizers, and supervisors, ensuring the efficient operation and execution of duties within their jurisdiction. They often assume command during times of crisis, emergencies, or large-scale events, implementing strategies and coordinating the deployment of personnel and resources. In the military, a marshal might oversee troop movements, logistical operations, and the discipline of soldiers. Likewise, law enforcement marshals may conduct investigations, maintain public safety, and enforce laws.
2. The term "marshal" can denote a ceremonial role, as in the case of a marshal of a parade or a grand marshal of a festive procession, who leads or directs the participants along a specified route. In this context, a marshal assumes responsibility for coordinating and ensuring the smooth progression of the event, managing crowd control, and maintaining safety measures.
3. Additionally, "marshal" can also refer to an official responsible for overseeing, regulating, or supervising certain activities, such as a fire marshal who conducts inspections to ensure adherence to fire safety codes, or a land marshal who enforces regulations regarding land and property rights.
4. As a verb, "to marshal" means to gather, assemble, or organize in a coordinated manner. It involves systematically arranging or aligning resources, information, or people to achieve a specific objective or purpose. Furthermore, "to marshal" can also indicate the act of guiding, leading, or directing someone or something in a specific direction or order.
Overall, the term "marshal" originates from the Old French word "mareschal," meaning "stablemaster," which evolved to refer to a person in charge of overseeing horses or a high-ranking military officer.
• Anciently, the officer under whose cognisance fell everything pert. to the use of arms, the regulation of tournaments, &c.; an officer of the highest military rank; a master of ceremonies; in U. S., a civil official of a district, corresponding to the sheriff of a county in Eng.
• To dispose or arrange in order.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "marshal" originated from the Old High German word "marahscalc" which meant "horse servant" or "stable master". It is formed from the elements "marah", meaning "horse", and "scalc" meaning "servant" or "attendant". The term later evolved in French as "mareschal" with a similar meaning referring to a person responsible for horses or a high-ranking military officer. Over time, the meaning of the word expanded to encompass various roles such as a title for a military official or a law enforcement officer.
