sheriff

noun

sher·​iff ˈsher-əf 

: an important official of a shire or county charged primarily with judicial duties (such as executing the processes and orders of courts and judges)

sheriffdom

ˈsher-əf-dəm 

-təm

noun

Examples of sheriff in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Answering a 911 call of a person hurt, Miami-Dade deputies discovered a man and a woman bleeding from gunshot wounds at a southwest Miami-Dade home early Saturday afternoon, the sheriff’s office said. —Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 7 Dec. 2025

Parish president Jessie Bellard has disputed the sheriff's claims about the structural integrity of the jail. —Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 7 Dec. 2025

Legislation did make it through the General Assembly last year requiring sheriffs to work with ICE, despite opposition from some sheriffs and Democrats. —Mary Ramsey updated December 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 Dec. 2025

The victim was described by the sheriff's office as a 51-year-old University of California, San Francisco, social worker. —Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 7 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English shirreve, from Old English scīrgerēfa, from scīr shire + gerēfa reeve — more at shire, reeve

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sheriff

• sherif
• tariff
• nontariff

Kids Definition

sheriff

noun

sher·​iff ˈsher-əf 

: an official of a county who is in charge of enforcing the law

Etymology

Middle English shirreve "sheriff," from Old English scīrgerēfa "sheriff," from scīr "shire, county" and gerēfa "a government agent"

Legal Definition

sheriff

noun

sher·​iff

: an official of a county or parish charged primarily with judicial duties (as executing the processes and orders of courts and judges)

Etymology

Old English scīrgerēfa, from scīr shire + gerēfa reeve (king's agent)