What does sheriff mean?
Sheriff most commonly denotes an elected county official in the United States who leads the county sheriff's office and oversees law enforcement, along with duties involving local jails, courts, and public safety. The word has older and more varied British meanings. It was historically the principal official of a shire, combining administrative, judicial, and law-enforcement responsibilities, and the High Sheriff of an English county is now mainly a ceremonial representative of the monarch. In Scotland, sheriff has a different, specifically judicial meaning: a sheriff is a judge who conducts cases in a sheriff court. Across these uses, the central idea is local authority and the administration of law. The word is worth knowing because it preserves an old division of British government, while also describing a prominent modern American office whose duties and powers can differ from those of ordinary police departments.
nounAn official responsible for law enforcement in a county, especially in the United States. In Britain the title also refers to a historical county official, while in Scotland a sheriff is a judicial officer.
- In the United States, an elected county official who heads the county sheriff's office and is responsible for law enforcement and related duties.
- In Scotland, a judicial officer who rules in a sheriff court.
- In England and Wales, historically, the chief administrative and judicial official of a shire; today the title High Sheriff generally refers to a largely ceremonial county representative.
"The sheriff announced that an investigation was continuing."
"Residents met with the sheriff to discuss concerns about crime in the county."
"The civil case was listed before the sheriff court in Scotland."
The standard plural adds -s and is used for multiple officeholders or references to the office.
"The county elected sheriffs from two competing political parties."
The word once literally meant the "reeve of the shire"—the chief local official of a district.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sheriff come from?
The word comes through Middle English from Old English scirgerefa, literally "shire-reeve." Its components mean a shire or administrative district and an official or reeve responsible for that district. The compound originally denoted a chief local official, and in the United States the office developed into an elected county law-enforcement position; in Scotland, sheriff retained a judicial role.
Related word forms
How sheriff is actually used
In the United States, sheriff is a standard official title, though the office's precise powers vary by state and county. British usage differs considerably: Scotland uses sheriff for a judicial role, while England and Wales retain the title chiefly in historical and ceremonial contexts.
Easily confused with sheriff
A sheriff is an official, whereas a shire is a traditional administrative division such as a county.