French word

shérif

Pronunciation

IPA/ʃeʁif/

Meaning

  • masculine nounsheriff

Example

Nous avons vu le shérif au marché.

We saw the sheriff at the market.

Illustration for shérif (sheriff)

More examples

Le shérif est chargé de faire respecter l'ordre.

The sheriff is tasked with enforcing order.

Core concept

A local law official with authority over arrests and a county jail.

Common phrases

  • faire office de shérif

    serve as sheriff

  • le shérif américain

    the American sheriff

Similar words

policier: A police officer who patrols a town and responds to calls.
gendarme: A national police officer who enforces the law in rural areas and on roads.
agent de sécurité: A private guard who controls access to and patrols stores or buildings.
commissaire: A senior police officer who oversees a station and directs investigations.

Definition in French

Titre désignant un responsable local de l'application des lois, surtout dans les systèmes anglo-saxons, assumant des fonctions comme l'arrestation et la tenue d'une prison.

Word origin

The French noun shérif comes through English sheriff from Old English scīrgerefa, a compound of scīr, 'county', and gerefa, 'reeve or official'.

Usage tips

  • In French, shérif usually names an American or other English-speaking institution rather than a generic local police officer.

Opposites

Word lists with this word