the chief law officer of a country or state and head of its legal department. att. gen.
Attorney General, the head of the U.S. Department of Justice: a member of the president's cabinet. Atty. Gen.
(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
(in the US) the chief law officer and legal adviser to the Administration: head of the Department of Justice and member of the cabinet
(in Australia and New Zealand) the chief government law officer: a member of Parliament and usually a cabinet minister
a country's chief law officer and senior legal adviser to its government
(in the US) the chief law officer and legal adviser of a state government
(in some states of the US) a public prosecutor
First recorded in 1575–85
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Gates, who left the department in November, is now the Republican candidate challenging Bonta to be state attorney general.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026
She instead pointed to the state law that requires the secretary of state to “promptly” refer complaints to the attorney general if “there is reasonable cause to suspect that criminal conduct occurred.”
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
The attorney general had then filed to discontinue the case against Koroma and drop the charges, Bah said.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
Michael Mukasey, the federal judge who oversaw the case and later became attorney general, described Hamawy as “more than a casual traveling companion.”
From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026
Among them was Sargent Prentiss Freeling, a former Oklahoma attorney general and a staunch advocate of states’ rights.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
California Attorney General Rob Bonta said at a press conference on Wednesday.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
It’s shaping up to be a rough week for acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026
ConserveOhio completed the first three steps by April, getting approval from the Ohio Attorney General to move forward with signature collection at the beginning of the month.
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026
The initial sentences were referred to the court after they were called "unduly lenient" by Attorney General Lord Hermer.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
The Attorney General assured Stanley's lawyer that he would get the records.
From "Holes" by Louis Sachar
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
