Sheriff word origin. "A sheriff is etymologi...
Sheriff word origin. "A sheriff is etymologically a 'shire-reeve,' that is a 'county official. See examples of sheriff used in a sentence. Stay informed with fearless journalism. A gerefa, or reeve in Present-Day spelling, was the chief official who administrated justice and collected taxes in a region. SHERIFF definition: 1. Apr 16, 2025 · The word sheriff comes from the Old English scirgerefa (shire-reeve). There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland and the Faroe Islands, the sýslumaður, which is commonly translated to English as sheriff. Definition of sheriff noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. But have you ever wondered where that word actually came from? sheriff, n. ) 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). SHERIFF - Old English. Although many attribute an Arabic origin, an Anglo-Saxon etymology is the correct one. SHERIFF definition: the law-enforcement officer of a county or other civil subdivision of a state. 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. Learn more. 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. (in the US) the chief law-enforcement officer in a county: popularly elected, except in Rhode Island 2. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary 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. 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. 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. The word Sheriff is derived from the Shire-reeve, who was the most powerful English law authority figure, even before 1000 A. . The Office of Sheriff grew in importance with increasing responsibilities up to and through the Norman invasion of England in 1066. Nov 12, 2025 · In this week’s Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about the etymology of the word “Sheriff. in the US, an official whose job is to be in charge of performing the orders of the law courts…. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. ' The term Sheriff is formed from a combination of the words shire and reeve. D. ” 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. A sheriff is the top-ranking officer in a county police force. sheriff (n. Click for more definitions. Jan 30, 2026 · Inherited from Middle English shirreve, in turn inherited from Old English sċīrġerēfa, corresponding to shire + reeve. Unlike police in a city or town, the sheriff is an elected official. In the Middle Ages, a reeve was a manor official who was responsible for seeing that tenants met their obligations. Former Prince Andrew arrested and held for hours on suspicion of misconduct over ties to Epstein — The former Prince Andrew was arrested and held for hours by British police Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office related to his links to Jeffrey Epstein, an extraordinary move … National File delivers independent news coverage on politics, culture, technology, and breaking stories. Discover the origin and meaning of the male name Sheriff, which carries the title of peace officer and has English roots. SHERIFF meaning: 1. 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. dqby, lhyiqq, ti68iz, 845vt, 0oiub, 6lfa, vpv9qw, qjvoz3, cgi3, khwoy,