umpire

American  

[uhm-pahy^uhr] / ˈʌm paɪər /

noun

1. a person selected to rule on the plays in a game.

   Synonyms:

   arbitrator, arbiter, referee

2. one selected to settle disputes about the application of settled rules or usages; a person agreed on by disputing parties to arbitrate their differences.

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verb (used with object)

umpired, umpiring

1. to act as umpire in (a game).

2. to decide or settle (a controversy, dispute, or the like) as umpire; arbitrate.

verb (used without object)

umpired, umpiring

1. to act as umpire.

umpire British  

/ ˈʌmpaɪə /

noun

1. an official who rules on the playing of a game, as in cricket or baseball

2. a person who rules on or judges disputes between contesting parties

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verb

1. to act as umpire in (a game, dispute, or controversy)

Usage

What does umpire mean? An umpire is a kind of referee who enforces the rules during certain sports, such as baseball, softball, and cricket.In higher levels of baseball and softball, there are often multiple umpires on the field. They are primarily responsible for determining whether base runners are “safe” or “out.” The most important one is the home plate umpire, who determines whether each pitch is a “ball” or a “strike.”Umpire is also sometimes used to refer to someone who acts as an impartial judge during some kind of conflict, such as two friends having an argument, as in Jane and Mike were losing their tempers with each other at the meeting so I had to step in and act as an umpire until they calmed down. Less commonly, umpire can be used as a verb meaning to perform the duties of an umpire, as in I signed up to umpire my daughter’s softball games. An informal short form of umpire is ump, which can also be used as both a noun and a verb. It’s especially used as an informal way to address an umpire, as in Hey, ump, that was way out of the strike zone!Example: The umpire called him out, but I’m pretty sure he was safe.

Related Words

See judge.

Other Word Forms

• umpireship noun
• unumpired adjective

Etymology

Origin of umpire

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English umpere, variant of noumpere ( a noumpere taken as an oumpere; adder ¹, apron ), from Old French nomper, nonper “arbiter,” i.e., “one not equal.” See non-, peer ²

Example Sentences

Prior to the final over, Kings, who needed 14 to win, were awarded five penalty runs after the umpires deemed a Qalandars player had broken rules by "unfairly changing the condition of the ball".

From BBC

I’m supposed to be cool about the robot umpires.

From The Wall Street Journal

Players will be allowed to challenge certain calls made by the chair umpire - as they are already able to do at both the US Open and the Australian Open.

From BBC

Polymarket also agreed to work with MLB to restrict event contracts that pose “integrity risk,” where outcomes triggered by the actions of, say, pitchers, managers or umpires could be subject to manipulation.

From The Wall Street Journal

Charlie remarked that in a bigger school with at least nineteen pupils, you’d have two teams for real baseball, and an umpire.

From Literature

Related Words

• arbitrator
• judge
• ref
• referee
• ump