the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
n. One who summons; one who cites by authority; specifically, a petty officer formerly employed to summon persons to appear in court; an apparitor.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
n. One who summons, or cites by authority; especially, one employed to warn persons to appear in court; also, formerly, an apparitor.
n. In early English law, a public prosecutor or complainant.
Word Usage
"Identifying with the summoner is a deft way for Sting to get some distance from his do-gooder image while sustaining the resonance of his larger social concerns."