sheriff

American  

[sher-if] / ˈʃɛr ɪf /

noun

1. the law-enforcement officer of a county or other civil subdivision of a state.

2. (formerly) an important civil officer in an English shire.

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sheriff British  

/ ˈʃɛrɪf /

noun

1. (in the US) the chief law-enforcement officer in a county: popularly elected, except in Rhode Island

2. (in England and Wales) the chief executive officer of the Crown in a county, having chiefly ceremonial duties

3. (in Scotland) a judge in any of the sheriff courts

4. (in Australia) an administrative officer of the Supreme Court, who enforces judgments and the execution of writs, empanels juries, etc

5. (in New Zealand) an officer of the High Court

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Other Word Forms

• sheriffdom
  noun
• subsheriff
  noun

Etymology

Origin of sheriff

before 1050; Middle English sher ( r ) ef, Old English scīrgerēfa. See shire, reeve ¹

Explanation

A sheriff is the top-ranking officer in a county police force. Unlike police in a city or town, the sheriff is an elected official. In most states, the sheriff serves a four-year term, and she oversees a department of police officers. A sheriff's job varies from state to state, but it generally includes enforcing the law, making arrests within the county, traffic control, prisoner transportation, and crime investigation. The Old English root word is scirgerefa, "representative of royal authority in a shire." Sheriff has been used in the United States since the 1600's.

Example Sentences

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Ian Parkinson, along with investigators and the experts, appeared at the home on Wednesday morning shortly after a detective served a search warrant to Susan Flores.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

Sheriff Kevin McMahill said the materials discovered inside the home were consistent with what was found in Reedley.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde supported the FAI and we welcome Sheriff Millar's findings and the opportunity to learn from this case.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

Reality TV personality Spencer Pratt has drawn support from politicians and media figures who align themselves with President Trump, including Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who’s running for governor, and podcaster Joe Rogan.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

Sheriff Kjartansson corrected that report the next day.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady