solicitor general

American  

noun

PLURAL

solicitors general

1. a law officer who maintains the rights of the state in suits affecting the public interest, next in rank to the attorney general.

2. the chief legal officer in some states.

3. (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.

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Solicitor General British  

noun

1. (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

2. (in New Zealand) the government's chief lawyer: head of the Crown Law Office and prosecutor for the Crown

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Etymology

Origin of solicitor general

First recorded in 1525–35

Compare meaning

How does solicitor-general compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• solicitor general vs. attorney general

Example Sentences

But the solicitor general said the asylum provision should be clarified.

From Los Angeles Times

But as U.S. deputy solicitor general Hashim Mooppan noted, only 15 of Congress’s roughly 60 current black Members represent such districts.

From The Wall Street Journal

Shannon Stevenson, the state’s solicitor general, told the court that the law doesn’t ban healthcare providers from sharing their views outside of the counseling room, or regulate life-coaches or religious ministers.

From The Wall Street Journal

At one point, Justice Samuel Alito posed a question to Shannon Stevenson, Colorado’s state solicitor general.

From Salon

Now, as U.S. solicitor general, he serves as the federal government’s top advocate before the Supreme Court.

From Salon