front office

American  

noun

front offices plural

1. the executive or administrative office of a company, organization, etc.

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front office Idioms  

1. The policy-making or executive individuals in an organization, as in I'll have to check with the front office before I can give you a discount. This term was originally underworld slang for police headquarters or the main detective bureau. It soon was extended to other administrative offices and their personnel. [c. 1900]

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• front-office
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• front offices
  plural

Etymology

Origin of front office

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900

Example Sentences

“The front office was very transparent, they want to win,” Leonard said at his introductory Clippers news conference on July 24, 2019.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2026

Not when he cold-called Jed Hoyer, who’d just been hired as the San Diego Padres’ general manager, to offer his help and eventually accepted a special assistant role in the front office.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 28, 2026

Freese, a Harvard economics graduate and “data geek,” contacted Daryl Morey in 2021 about working in a front office.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026

A renovated front office led by Leon Rose smartly assembled a roster around his style and temperament, even grabbing a few of Brunson’s favorite Villanova teammates.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 14, 2026

As I sit in the front office, waiting for the principal, I feel Inkling’s warm body press against my leg.

From "Invisible Inkling" by Emily Jenkins