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• solicitor general
  solicitor general

  noun

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

  noun

  (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

solicitor general

American  

noun

• solicitors general
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• solicitors general
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of solicitor general

First recorded in 1525–35

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Compare meaning

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

• solicitor general vs. attorney general

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

solicitor general Solicitor General

Helen Norton, the state’s deputy solicitor general, resisted the suggestion that the state disfavors religion, especially in its preschool program.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026

The solicitor general said a new and secure ballroom is also crucial for social gatherings and foreign dignitaries.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

The solicitor general, in the appeal to the Supreme Court, also emphasized the security aspects of the project.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

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

The Chancellor of the Exchequer came apprehensively behind the solicitor general.

From Attention Saint Patrick by Murray Leinster

Attorney General Ellie Reeves, who was Solicitor General at the time, referred the sentence to the Court of Appeal, while Digwa sought permission to challenge it as "manifestly excessive".

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

Solicitor General John Sauer described the project in a legal brief as a “concrete-and-steel superstructure” that is already about two-thirds complete and couldn’t be taken down.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

Solicitor General John Sauer, in the appeal to the Supreme Court, also stressed the security aspects of the project and argued that the president has the authority to make changes to the White House.

From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026

Solicitor General D. John Sauer told the court the project is already 65% complete and argued that stopping construction would interfere with security improvements at the White House.

From Salon ● Aug. 15, 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

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