bachelor

Bach"e*lor, n. Etym: [OF. bacheler young man, F. bachelier (cf.Pr. bacalar, Sp.bachiller, Pg. bacharel, It. baccalare), LL. baccalarius the tenant of a kind of farm called baccalaria, a soldier not old or rich enough to lead his retainers into battle with a banner, person of an inferior academical degree aspiring to a doctorate. In the latter sense, it was afterward changed to baccalaureus. See Baccalaureate, n.] 1. A man of any age who has not been married. As merry and mellow an old bachelor as ever followed a hound. W. Irving. 2. An unmarried woman. [Obs.] B. Jonson. 3. A person who has taken the first or lowest degree in the liberal arts, or in some branch of science, at a college or university; as, a bachelor of arts. 4. A knight who had no standard of his own, but fought under the standard of another in the field; often, a young knight. 5. In the companies of London tradesmen, one not yet admitted to wear the livery; a junior member. [Obs.] 6. (Zoöl.) Defn: A kind of bass, an edible fresh-water fish (Pomoxys annularis) of the southern United States.

---