attorney general

noun

plural attorneys general or attorney generals

: the chief law officer of a nation or state who represents the government in litigation and serves as its principal legal adviser

Examples of attorney general in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Washington’s scrutiny has sharpened in recent weeks, with federal officials intervening in model releases on national-security grounds and state attorneys general opening investigations. — James Broughel, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026

Matt Miller, the ESPN NFL Draft analyst who shared last month on social media that his left arm was amputated following an automobile accident in southern Missouri, reportedly is being investigated by the state attorney general. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026

That post appears at the top of the agencies’ letter to state attorneys general. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2026

The 16-count indictment against Republican Liz Murrill, handed up Thursday by a New Orleans grand jury, charges Louisiana’s first female attorney general with intimidation and malfeasance. — Safiyah Riddle, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined above

Video

Is It 'Attorney Generals' Or 'Attorneys General'?

'Poets laureate'? 'Court-martials'? The curious history of postpositive adjectives in English.

Kids Definition

attorney general

noun

plural attorneys general or attorney generals

: the chief law officer of a nation or state who represents the government in legal matters

Legal Definition

attorney general

noun

plural attorneys general or attorney generals

: the chief law officer of a nation or state who represents the government in litigation and serves as its principal legal advisor