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Synonyms

arbiter

American  
[ahr-bi-ter] / ˈɑr bɪ tər /

noun

  1. a person empowered to decide matters at issue; judge; umpire.

  2. a person who has the sole or absolute power of judging or determining.


arbiter British  
/ ˈɑːbɪtə /

noun

  1. a person empowered to judge in a dispute; referee; arbitrator

  2. a person having complete control of something

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • superarbiter noun

Etymology

Origin of arbiter

1350–1400; Middle English arbitour, arbitre < Anglo-French, Old French < Latin arbiter

Compare meaning

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

After retiring in 2013, he joined a private Washington law practice where he handled official arbiter missions.

From Barron's

He chairs the Expediency Council, a top arbitration body that serves as the final arbiter between parliament and the constitutional watchdog, the Guardian Council.

From BBC

To repudiate a doctrine accepted by the nation’s cultural arbiters gets you uninvited to their parties and called a fool.

From The Wall Street Journal

As with Abu Hamdan’s voice patterns, the arbiter of citizenship is not a passport, ID card or birth certificate but a set of behaviors and attributes classified by a fixed system.

From Salon

As Iran’s spiritual leader and its highest authority, Khamenei, 85, was the ultimate arbiter in state affairs, including the economy, education and defense.

From Los Angeles Times