sheriff

sheriff — noun

1. a person elected by county residents in the US to serve as the main law enforcem

1.nounB1
Definition

a person elected by county residents in the US to serve as the main law enforcement officer, responsible for carrying out court orders and keeping peace in the area

Example

The sheriff ordered all residents near the river to leave before the flood arrived.

sheriff + ordered + evacuation

Imani's uncle served as a sheriff's deputy in Arizona for nearly twenty years.

possessive: sheriff's deputy

Common collocations
  • sheriff's department
  • sheriff's office
  • sheriff's deputy
  • sheriff's badge
  • county sheriff
  • elect a sheriff
  • call the sheriff
  • the sheriff arrested
  • the sheriff ordered
  • sheriff patrols
Synonyms
  • marshal

    a federal law officer in the US or a town-level law officer in some areas; has a different jurisdiction and is not always elected

  • police chief

    the appointed head of a city police force; unlike a sheriff, a police chief is not elected by the public

  • constable

    in some US states, a minor law officer with limited duties; historically a more common term in rural areas

Antonyms
  • criminal

    a person who breaks the law, whom the sheriff pursues

  • outlaw

    a person who has broken the law and is hiding from the authorities

Grammar Patterns

sheriff + verb

sheriff's + noun

the county + sheriff

Usage Note

In the US, a sheriff is elected by county voters and serves a county area, whereas a police chief is appointed by a city government. The sheriff's office often manages the county jail and provides court security. Common in news reports about crime, emergencies, and public safety.

Common Mistakes

The sheriff of New York City arrested the thief.
The sheriff of Harris County arrested the thief.
In the US, sheriffs work at the county level; cities have police departments run by a police chief, not a sheriff.

2. a person chosen to act as the monarch's ceremonial representative in an English

2.nounB2
Definition

a person chosen to act as the monarch's ceremonial representative in an English or Welsh county, attending official events and greeting important visitors rather than enforcing the law

Example

The High Sheriff of Surrey presented the prizes at the annual school ceremony.

collocation: High Sheriff of [county]

Vivek's mother served as High Sheriff for Greater London in 2022.

serve as High Sheriff

Common collocations
  • High Sheriff
  • appointed High Sheriff
  • High Sheriff of [county]
  • ceremonial duties
  • serve as High Sheriff
Synonyms
  • lord lieutenant

    the king or queen's personal representative in a county; a higher-ranking ceremonial role than High Sheriff

  • ceremonial officer

    a general term for someone who performs official duties at public events without law enforcement responsibilities

Grammar Patterns

High Sheriff + of + county

the + (High) sheriff + verb

Usage Note

Often called the 'High Sheriff'. This role is almost entirely ceremonial and carries no law enforcement authority, unlike the US sheriff. The position rotates annually and is considered a civic honour. Do not confuse this sense with sense 1.

Common Mistakes

The High Sheriff of Kent chased the robber down the street.
The High Sheriff of Kent opened the charity event.
The English High Sheriff is a ceremonial officer with no law enforcement powers.

3. the most senior judge in a Scottish county, who presides over the Sheriff Court

3.nounC1
Definition

the most senior judge in a Scottish county, who presides over the Sheriff Court and deals with both criminal and civil legal cases

Example

The sheriff sentenced the man to eighteen months in prison for theft.

Noa argued her case before the sheriff at the Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

collocation: Sheriff Court

Common collocations
  • Sheriff Court
  • sheriff principal
  • sheriff presided
  • the sheriff heard
  • the sheriff sentenced
Synonyms
  • judge

    a general term for a court official who decides legal cases; less specific than sheriff in the Scottish legal system

  • magistrate

    a lower-level judge in some legal systems; in Scotland, a magistrate handles minor cases in Justice of the Peace courts, whereas a sheriff handles more serious cases

Grammar Patterns

the + sheriff + verb

sheriff + of + county

Usage Note

Distinct from the US sheriff, which is a law enforcement role. In Scotland, a sheriff is a legally trained judge who works in the Sheriff Court — the main court for criminal and civil cases. The 'sheriff principal' is a more senior judge who manages a region's sheriffs and hears appeals.

Common Mistakes

The Scottish sheriff arrested the suspect at his home.
The Scottish sheriff heard the case and decided the sentence.
In Scotland, a sheriff is a judge, not a law enforcement officer.

Word family

  • sheriffdom
    nounC2
  • undersheriff
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

In the US, a sheriff is an elected law officer at the county level, responsible for law enforcement, court security, and running the county jail. A marshal can refer either to a federal officer (US Marshal) who transports prisoners and protects courts, or to a town-level officer in some states — the key difference is that marshals are not always elected and operate at a different jurisdictional level. A police chief is the appointed head of a city police department, hired by the city government rather than elected by the public. A constable historically referred to a rural law officer but in some US states today handles minor duties like serving legal papers. For example, if there is a county-wide emergency, you would call the sheriff's office; if you are in a city, you would call the police department run by the police chief.

sheriff ↗marshalpolice chiefconstable ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • newly appointed
  • newly elected

Phrases

  • sheriff's office
  • sheriff's department
  • sheriff's deputy
  • county sheriff
  • High Sheriff

Prepositions

  • of (sheriff of [county])

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word sheriff comes from Old English 'scīrġerēfa', a compound of 'scīr' (shire, a district) and 'ġerēfa' (a royal officer or representative). In Anglo-Saxon England, the scīrġerēfa was the king's agent in a shire, responsible for keeping order, collecting taxes, and enforcing laws. After the Norman Conquest the role continued, and as English settlers brought the term to North America, the sheriff became an elected position with law enforcement duties, while in Scotland the term evolved to refer to a judge.