Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

praesul, sŭlis, comm. [praesilio], one who leaps or dances before others, a dancer in public, public dancer.

  1. I. Lit. (class.), Cic. Div. 1, 26, 55; 2, 66, 136.
    1. B. In partic., the leader of the Salii, who annually leaped and danced through the city, bearing the ancilia: fuit in eo sacerdotio (Saliorum) et praesul et vates et magister, Capitol. M. Aurel. 4.
  2. II. Transf., in gen., a presider, president, director; a patron, protector, etc. (post-class.): agri praesul, Pall. 1, 6: fori, Sid. Ep. 4, 14: praesul creatus litteris, Aus. Ep. 4, 79; Pall. 1, 6 fin.: Angerona, diva praesul silentii, Sol. 1; Mart. Cap. 2, § 160 fin.: et Junone calent hic arae praesule semper, Avien. Perieg. 519.