umpire

1 of 2

noun

um·​pire ˈəm-ˌpī(-ə)r 

1

: an official in a sport who rules on plays

2

: one having authority to decide finally a controversy or question between parties: such as

a

: one appointed to decide between arbitrators who have disagreed

b

: an impartial third party chosen to arbitrate disputes arising under the terms of a labor agreement

3

: a military officer who evaluates maneuvers

umpire

2 of 2

verb

umpired; umpiring

transitive verb

: to supervise or decide as umpire

intransitive verb

: to act as umpire

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History of Umpire

The word umpire was formed by metanalysis, or the changing of the division of words based upon how they sound together. The original word in English was noumpere, which was a borrowing of the French term nompere. The -pere of nompere was the French word for “equal,” a descendant of the Latin word par (“equal”) that is the root of words like peer, pair, and, of course, par. Noumpere became the form used in English for “one without equal” or “peerless,” but frequent references to a noumpere ended up becoming references to an oumpere, which became the modern word umpire. It’s ironic that the word for a person who literally calls balls and strikes is called by a name created by a linguistic foul.

Synonyms

Noun

• referee
• judge

Verb

• decide
• judge
• settle
• referee
• determine
• arbitrate
• adjudicate
• adjudge

Examples of umpire in a Sentence

Noun

usually acts as umpire in the all-too-frequent squabbles between the two other roommates

Verb

in our family disputes regarding the use of our home entertainment system are umpired by Dad

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

At one point, play was stopped when a champagne cork flew onto the court; the umpire politely asked the crowd to refrain from popping bottles while the players were serving. —Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 14 July 2025

Sabalenka again offered her bottle of water into the crowd as several umbrellas shielded the member of the crowd, with both players returning to their seats either side of the umpire. —Leon Imber, New York Times, 10 July 2025

Verb

Jarry said to umpire Eva Asderaki, after Norrie had taken a two-set lead. —Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 8 July 2025

On the field, the umpiring crew initially called Koss out because of fan interference. —Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 2 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English oumpere, alteration (from misdivision of a noumpere) of noumpere, from Anglo-French nounpier, nompere, from nounpier, adjective, single, odd, from non- + per equal, from Latin par

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

1609, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for umpire

• briar
• brier
• buyer
• choir
• crier
• cryer
• drier
• dryer
• eyer
• flier
• flyer
• friar

Kids Definition

umpire

noun

um·​pire

ˈəm-ˌpī(ə)r

1

: one having authority to decide an argument or a question

2

: an official in a sport (as baseball) who rules on plays

umpire verb

Etymology

Noun

Middle English oumpere, an altered form of noumpere "one having authority to decide an issue or dispute," from early French nounpier, nompere (adjective) "single, odd, without equal," from non-, nom- "not" and per "equal," from Latin par "equal" — related to compare, pair, par, peer

Word Origin

From the Latin word par, meaning "equal," came the early French word per, which also meant "equal." Per was combined with the prefix non-, nom-, meaning "not," to form the early French word nomper, which meant "without equal." Nomper came into Middle English as a noun, noumpere. The meaning of noumpere was "a person who is not equal, a person who has authority over others." Many people who heard the words a noumpere thought they were actually hearing an oumpere. Because of that misunderstanding, the letter n in time came to be dropped from noumpere. Other changes over the course of many years have given us the modern word umpire.

Legal Definition

umpire

noun

um·​pire

: a person having authority to decide finally a controversy or question between parties: as

a

: one appointed to decide between disagreeing arbitrators

b

: an impartial third party chosen to arbitrate disputes arising under the terms of a labor agreement

c

: one appointed to mediate between the appraisers of an insured and insurer in order to determine the amount of a loss