umpire

noun um·pire \ ˈəm-ˌpī(-ə)r \

|Updated on: 7 Aug 2018

Examples: umpire in a Sentence

Editor's Note: History of umpire

Definition of umpire

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

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See umpire defined for kids

Examples of umpire in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of umpire from the Web

Managers who argue ball and strike calls with an umpire face an ejection, but that's not why Royals manager Ned Yost was tossed from Kansas City's 3-1 loss to the Twins on Monday.

— pete grathoff, kansascity, "Here is the called third strike on Royals' Lucas Duda, manager Ned Yost's ejection," 10 July 2018
But when an umpire was unable to continue, Allen stepped in.

— rich mayor, chicagotribune.com, "Jim Allen, Oak Park baseball volunteer, set to retire: 'His job is thankless'," 9 July 2018
Judge Kavanaugh’s vantage point—a bench with caseloads packed with challenges to federal agency authority—has allowed him to become an influential umpire of the administrative state.

— jacob gershman, WSJ, "Brett Kavanaugh Has Shown Deep Skepticism of Regulatory State," 9 July 2018
The former mayor of south suburban Monee who was accused of punching an umpire at a youth baseball and breaking his jaw pleaded guilty Thursday to aggravated battery, according to court records.

— alicia fabbre, Daily Southtown, "Ex-Monee mayor who was accused of breaking ump's jaw at youth baseball game pleads guilty to aggravated battery, records show," 29 June 2018
For Chief Justice John Roberts, America’s top jurists are umpires with no skin in the game.

— The Economist, "A divided Supreme Court strikes a blow for lower election turnouts," 14 June 2018
Duda lingered in the batter's box to question plate umpire Will Little before walking away.

— maria torres, kansascity, "'I don't know what's going on': Yost frustrated with umpires in Royals' loss to Twins," 9 July 2018
But home-plate umpire Brian Gorman ruled it Ball 3, and Castro hammered Hader's next offering, a 93-mph fastball, over the left-center field wall.

— todd rosiak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Marlins 4, Brewers 3 (10 innings): Hader surrenders back-to-back homers; offense struggles," 9 July 2018
But home plate umpire Chris Segal saw it differently, ruling the pitch struck Gomez's bat for a strike.

— clark spencer, miamiherald, "Sleep-deprived Marlins wake up late to take down Rays in 3-0 win," 4 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'umpire.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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.

Origin and Etymology of umpire

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 2

See Words from the same year

umpire Synonyms

Synonyms

adjudicator, arbiter, arbitrator, judge, referee;

Related Words

jurist, justice, magistrate;

intermediary, intermediate, mediator, moderator, negotiator;

conciliator, go-between, peacemaker, reconciler, troubleshooter;

decider;

umpire

verb

Definition of umpire

umpired; umpiring

transitive verb

: to supervise or decide as umpire

intransitive verb

: to act as umpire

See umpire defined for English-language learners

Examples of umpire in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of umpire from the Web

The smallest of those fans were the most boisterous, as Reading youth lacrosse players rushed to hug junior Joe Bean, a midfielder and faceoff specialist who umpires their games.

— craig larson, BostonGlobe.com, "The spring season got off to a soggy start, but had a brilliant finish," 28 June 2018
Plus, he’s been umpiring and training umpires in fast-pitch softball for the past 18 years.

— kyle stackpole, Howard County Times, "Howard County announces 2018 Community Sports Hall of Fame induction class," 7 July 2018
His father was a coal miner who often umpired local baseball games.

— matt schudel, Washington Post, "Red Schoendienst, Hall of Fame baseball player and manager, dies at 95," 7 June 2018
Don also umpired for many baseball and softball leagues.

— hartford courant, courant.com, "Donald A. Comeau," 27 Apr. 2018
But to me, umpiring is an integral part of the game, obviously.

— paul sullivan, chicagotribune.com, "Hawk Harrelson and A.J. Pierzynski take their act to Sox Park," 5 Apr. 2018
And then the brain trust in New York overturned the call, which led to Gardenhire rushing the umpiring crew, kicking dirt onto the plate (a strong throwback move) and being ejected.

— si.com staff, SI.com, "Nine Innings: Blowing Up Small Sample Sizes, Heroic Homer Feats and Establishing an All-MLB Team," 2 Apr. 2018
No woman has ever umpired in the 140-plus years of major league baseball.

— shawn windsor, Detroit Free Press, "How umpire at Detroit Tigers game is ready to break gender barrier," 23 Feb. 2018
But something changed in the seven years since the last woman gave minor-league umpiring a shot.

— shawn windsor, Detroit Free Press, "How umpire at Detroit Tigers game is ready to break gender barrier," 23 Feb. 2018

First Known Use of umpire

1609

in the meaning defined at transitive sense

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

umpire Synonyms

Synonyms

adjudge, adjudicate, arbitrate, decide, determine, judge, referee, rule (on), settle;

Near Antonyms

equivocate, hedge, pussyfoot, skirt;

size up;

mediate, moderate, negotiate;

prosecute, try;

find (for or against);

conclude, resolve;

UMPIRE Defined for English Language Learners

umpire

noun

Definition of umpire for English Language Learners

: a person who controls play and makes sure that players act according to the rules in a sports event (such as a baseball game or a cricket or tennis match)