Definition

A person who is the chief law enforcement officer in a county, responsible for maintaining peace and enforcing the law.

Example

The sheriff arrived at the scene to investigate the crime.

Conversation

Did you hear about the new sheriff in town?

Yeah, I heard he's really tough on crime.

I wonder if he’ll change anything in our neighborhood.

I hope so! We could use a strong sheriff to keep things safe.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Sheriff → The word originates from Old English 'scir' (meaning district or division) and 'gerefa' (meaning reeve or official). A sheriff is an official responsible for a district or division, overseeing law and order.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'district' ('scir') overseen by an 'official' ('gerefa') — that's what a sheriff does.

Visually Confused Words