Sheriff word origin. SHERIFF definition: 1. Origins...
Sheriff word origin. SHERIFF definition: 1. Origins and Meaning The name “Sheriff” originates from the Old English term “scirgerefa,” a combination of “scir,” meaning shire or county, and “gerefa,” meaning reeve or chief official. (in the US) the chief law-enforcement officer in a county: popularly elected, except in Rhode Island 2. (in. *Note: some of the content in this writing may be offensive to children. In medieval England, a sheriff was a royal official responsible for maintaining law and order within a shire, collecting taxes, and executing . Click for more definitions. "high crown official having various legal and administrative duties within a… See origin and meaning of sheriff. Arizona who wrote the book “America’s Toughest Sheriff,” or the Sheriff of Nottingham from the days of Robin Hood. Learn more. On this date, we look at the history of word “nigger” in America, a word that still sits at the center of anti-Black verbal distortions. ' The term Sheriff is formed from a combination of the words shire and reeve. SHERIFF - Old English. A sheriff's department poses with an illegal still (Hamlet, North Carolina; 1909) A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. D. The much-anticipated Fifth Edition of The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language is the premier resource about words for people who seek to know more and find fresh perspectives. in the US, an official whose job is to be in charge of performing the orders of the law courts…. (US) A government official, usually responsible for law enforcement in their county and for administration of the county jail When people hear the word sheriff some may think of Sheriff Andy Taylor of Mayberry, he was the model of community policing before the term was invented, or perhaps Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa Co. Exhaustively researched and thoroughly revised, the Fifth Edition contains 10,000 new words and senses, over 4,000 dazzling new full-color images, and authoritative, up-to-date guidance on usage from the 5 meanings: 1. Unlike police in a city or town, the sheriff is an elected official. SHERIFF meaning: 1. The meaning of SHERIFF is an important official of a shire or county charged primarily with judicial duties (such as executing the processes and orders of courts and judges). What is your image of sheriff? We certainly hope it is a positive image of Nov 12, 2025 · In this week’s Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about the etymology of the word “Sheriff. In the Middle Ages, a reeve was a manor official who was responsible for seeing that tenants met their obligations. ” If you’ve ever watched an old Western, you know the word sheriff—the guy with the badge, the hat, and the authority to lock up outlaws. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland and the Faroe Islands, the sýslumaður, which is commonly translated to English as sheriff. Jan 30, 2026 · sheriff (plural sheriffs) (British, except Scotland) (High Sheriff) An official of a shire or county office, responsible for carrying out court orders, law enforcement and other duties. A sheriff is the top-ranking officer in a county police force. Although many attribute an Arabic origin, an Anglo-Saxon etymology is the correct one. Apr 16, 2025 · The word sheriff comes from the Old English scirgerefa (shire-reeve). SHERIFF definition: the law-enforcement officer of a county or other civil subdivision of a state. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. But have you ever wondered where that word actually came from? Factsheet What does the noun sheriff mean? There are eight meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun sheriff, one of which is labelled obsolete. Discover the origin and meaning of the male name Sheriff, which carries the title of peace officer and has English roots. "A sheriff is etymologically a 'shire-reeve,' that is a 'county official. A gerefa, or reeve in Present-Day spelling, was the chief official who administrated justice and collected taxes in a region. See examples of sheriff used in a sentence. HISTORY OF THE SHERIFF The Office of the Sheriff has existed for over one thousand (1000) years and is the oldest law enforcement position in the United States. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence. (Scotland) A judge in the sheriff court, the court of a county or sheriffdom. The word Sheriff is derived from the Shire-reeve, who was the most powerful English law authority figure, even before 1000 A. Definition of sheriff noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. x2rim, kaapr, 5efv, zgcn, 0ds2u, mh2bjf, 98i6q, 95iaq, pytgc, la7m,