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

Example Sentences

Marshal Service and the Riverside County sheriff’s anti-human-trafficking task force with assistance from other law enforcement agencies.

From Los Angeles Times

Hidalgo has worked as a sheriff’s deputy in the Orange County Sheriff’s Department since 2021 and is on administrative leave, officials said.

From Los Angeles Times

The student driver, identified as Jayden Ryan Wallace, 18, and two others stopped to try to help Hughes before emergency responders arrived and took him to the hospital, the sheriff's office said.

From BBC

The BBC has reached out to the sheriff's office for further comment.

From BBC

In Michigan, the Branch County sheriff's department said three people were killed and 12 others were injured near Union City after a tornado hit on Friday.

From BBC