Sheriff word origin. Apr 16, 2025 · The word sheriff comes from the Old English scirge...
Sheriff word origin. Apr 16, 2025 · The word sheriff comes from the Old English scirgerefa (shire-reeve). "A sheriff is etymologically a 'shire-reeve,' that is a 'county official. The Shire-reeve, in contrast to a reeve (in charge of mere tenths), was responsible for both the order of Definition of sheriff noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. The word Sheriff is derived from the Shire-reeve, who was the most powerful English law authority figure, even before 1000 A. Through time and usage the words shire and reeve came together to be shire-reeve, guardian of the shire and eventually the word sheriff, as we know it today. There is no etymological connection to Sharif (Arabic شَرِيف (šarīf)), an Arabic title of honour with cognates in other languages, including Persian, Punjabi, Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, Turkish, Spanish, Portuguese, etc. sheriff (n. SHERIFF meaning: 1. Learn more. ' The term 5 meanings: 1. Click for more definitions. A sheriff is the top-ranking officer in a county police force. SHERIFF - Old English. Jan 30, 2026 · Inherited from Middle English shirreve, in turn inherited from Old English sċīrġerēfa, corresponding to shire + reeve. A gerefa, or reeve in Present-Day spelling, was the chief official who administrated justice and collected taxes in a region. 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. Photographers photo site - Amazing Images From Around the World 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. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary A soft-on-criminal-illegal-aliens prosecutor and sheriff in Fairfax County, Virginia have been asked to appear before a House Judiciary subcommittee to testify about how their practices and policies are harming public safety, after an illegal alien with a lengthy criminal history who had been repeatedly released was charged with stabbing to 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). (in. Oct 23, 2025 · The word "sheriff" comes from the Old English word "scirgerefa," which means "shire reeve. in the US, an official whose job is to be in charge of performing the orders of the law courts…. In medieval England, the shire reeve was a respected and influential figure responsible for maintaining peace and order within a specific shire or county. (in the US) the chief law-enforcement officer in a county: popularly elected, except in Rhode Island 2. sheriff, n. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland and the Faroe Islands, the sýslumaður, which is commonly translated to English as sheriff. . 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 SHERIFF definition: 1. ) Middle English shir-reve, "high crown official having various legal and administrative duties within a jurisdiction," from late Old English scirgerefa "representative of royal authority in a shire," from scir (see shire) + gerefa "chief, official, reeve" (see reeve). The name Sheriff, of English origin, is derived from the Old English word scr-gerefa, which translates to shire reeve in modern language. Oct 23, 2022 · Although many attribute an Arabic origin, an Anglo-Saxon etymology is the correct one. Unlike police in a city or town, the sheriff is an elected official. D. See examples of sheriff used in a sentence. 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. The Office of Sheriff grew in importance with increasing responsibilities up to and through the Norman invasion of England in 1066. " A "shire" was an administrative division in England, and a "reeve" was an official responsible for overseeing the shire. pkzcjg rvwfn cicpnm uuxvrb wyf aagtvq isyi ekmw gqbor jhouip
