attorney general

American  

noun

plural

attorneys general, attorney generals

1. the chief law officer of a country or state and head of its legal department. att. gen.

2. Attorney General, the head of the U.S. Department of Justice: a member of the president's cabinet. Atty. Gen.

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Attorney General ¹ British  

noun

1. (in the United Kingdom except Scotland) the senior law officer and chief legal counsel of the Crown: a member of the government and of the House of Commons

2. (in the US) the chief law officer and legal adviser to the Administration: head of the Department of Justice and member of the cabinet

3. (in Australia and New Zealand) the chief government law officer: a member of Parliament and usually a cabinet minister

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attorney general ² British  

noun

1. a country's chief law officer and senior legal adviser to its government

2. (in the US) the chief law officer and legal adviser of a state government

3. (in some states of the US) a public prosecutor

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Etymology

Origin of attorney general

First recorded in 1575–85

Compare meaning

How does attorney-general compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• solicitor general vs. attorney general

Example Sentences

Shares of Lululemon Athletica were down after the Texas attorney general announced an investigation into whether the company’s popular workout wear could contain potentially toxic chemicals.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

Blanche, who was confirmed as deputy attorney general last year, said any task that Trump offered going forward would be fine with him.

From Slate • Apr. 11, 2026

County officials want the state attorney general to wade into the complex investigation to avoid any perceived conflict of interest.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

“Today’s D.C. Circuit stay allowing the government to designate Anthropic as a supply chain risk is a resounding victory for military readiness,” said Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

“Bill Baxley, Alabama’s attorney general, reopened the case, and Chambliss’s own niece is testifying against him. He’s the first of the bombers to come to trial.”

From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry