a law officer who maintains the rights of the state in suits affecting the public interest, next in rank to the attorney general.
the chief legal officer in some states.
(initial capital letters) the law officer of the U.S. government next below the Attorney General, having charge of appeals, as to the Supreme Court.
(in Britain) the law officer of the Crown ranking next to the Attorney General (in Scotland to the Lord Advocate) and acting as his assistant
(in New Zealand) the government's chief lawyer: head of the Crown Law Office and prosecutor for the Crown
First recorded in 1525–35
How does solicitor-general compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Abbott, a former Texas Supreme Court justice, and Cruz, a former state solicitor general, also discussed the recent U.S.
From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026
He sat in the gallery while the justices posed steadily skeptical questions to his solicitor general.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
The jail sentence of Vickrum Digwa, who was convicted of the murder of Henry Nowak, has been referred to the Court of Appeal by the solicitor general under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
“The examples you give to support that,” Roberts told the solicitor general, “strike me as very quirky.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026
They will be wonderfully fitted for the posts of attorney and solicitor general, but will excel, above all, as licensers for the stage.
From The Works of Samuel Johnson, Volume 06 Reviews, Political Tracts, and Lives of Eminent Persons by Johnson, Samuel
Solicitor General Ellie Reeves KC MP said she hoped the referral would help to bring justice to Nowak's family.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
It's not feasible to have 50 different states coming out with their own determinations, Deputy Solicitor General Sarah Harris said.
From Barron's ● Apr. 27, 2026
He sat for the entirety of the government’s argument, led by Solicitor General John Sauer.
From Salon ● Apr. 1, 2026
So, for instance, Judge Murphy laid out why it looks like Solicitor General John Sauer misled the justices during the South Sudan episode.
From Slate ● Feb. 28, 2026
The justices gave little indication of which way they were leaning, though Justice Thurgood Marshall offered a clue in an exchange with Solicitor General Erwin Griswold, who was handling the government’s case.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
