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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Moody won reelection as Florida’s attorney general in 2022 with 60% of the vote. Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2025 Newsweek reached out to an attorney representing Humphreys and the Georgia attorney general's office for comment via email. Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025 Mills, a former prosecutor, served two stints as Maine's attorney general. NPR, 14 Oct. 2025 Aaron Frey, the state’s attorney general, said that Maine is involved in thirty-six lawsuits, including defending itself against a Justice Department suit over its K-12 Title IX policy. Emma Green, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for attorney general

Word History

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of attorney general was in 1585

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Attorney general.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attorney%20general. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on attorney general

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!