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

Now, the state attorney general says the city must pay a fine or face a lawsuit for violating a state law protecting Confederate monuments and other longstanding memorials. — Riley Bunch, AJC.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Scharf, 40, ran unsuccessfully to become Missouri’s state attorney general in 2024. — Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 10 Aug. 2026

Now, the question is, is her boss, either the president of the United States or the attorney general, going to put pressure on her to go back and redo it? — ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026

The incident has gotten people talking, with even the Florida attorney general chiming in. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 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