Bach"e*lor (băch"&esl;*l&etilde;r), n.
[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, a 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.) A kind of bass, an edible
fresh-water fish (Pomoxys annularis) of the southern United
States.
