undersheriff

American

[uhn-der-sher-if] / ˈʌn dərˌʃɛr ɪf /

noun

a sheriff's deputy, especially one on whom the sheriff's duties devolve when the office is vacant.

undersheriff British

/ ˈʌndəˌʃɛrɪf /

noun

a deputy sheriff

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of undersheriff

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at under-, sheriff

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Tyler, the former undersheriff, noted that McDonnell won’t answer directly to voters as chief.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 29, 2024

This year, the hearings resumed, featuring testimony from Villanueva and his former undersheriff.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 12, 2024

This year the Civilian Oversight Commission heard sworn testimony from both the former sheriff and the former undersheriff during a pair of hearings about the tattooed groups.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2024

Sheriff-elect Robert Luna announced that he will appoint sheriff’s department veteran April Tardy as the first woman to serve as the agency’s undersheriff.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2024

Turned out to be Wendle Meier, the undersheriff.

From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023