Pedarian

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Pedarian \Pe*da"ri*an\, n. [L. pedarius, fr. pedarius belonging
     to the foot, fr. pes, pedis, foot.] (Rom. Antiq.)
     One of a class eligible to the office of senator, but not yet
     chosen, who could sit and speak in the senate, but could not
     vote; -- so called because he might indicate his opinion by
     walking over to the side of the party he favored when a vote


     was taken.
     [1913 Webster]