attorney general

noun

, plural attorneys general, attorney generals.

1. the chief law officer of a country or state and head of its legal department. : att. gen.
2. Attorney General, the head of the U.S. Department of Justice: a member of the president's cabinet. : Atty. Gen.

Attorney General

¹

noun

1. (in the United Kingdom except Scotland) the senior law officer and chief legal counsel of the Crown: a member of the government and of the House of Commons
2. (in the US) the chief law officer and legal adviser to the Administration: head of the Department of Justice and member of the cabinet
3. (in Australia and New Zealand) the chief government law officer: a member of Parliament and usually a cabinet minister

attorney general

²

noun

1. a country's chief law officer and senior legal adviser to its government
2. (in the US) the chief law officer and legal adviser of a state government
3. (in some states of the US) a public prosecutor

Word History and Origins

Origin of attorney general¹

First recorded in 1575–85

Example Sentences

We got the answer with Wednesday’s announcement of his intent to nominate Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz as attorney general: worse even than the worst-case scenario we had imagined.

From Los Angeles Times

“None of the attorneys had what Trump wants, and they didn’t talk like Gaetz,” the adviser said of the competition for attorney general.

From Salon

A short time later, Trump nominated Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida as attorney general.

From Salon

But some Republicans already have questioned at least one Trump choice, notably Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, the pick for attorney general, the top prosecutor in the US.

From BBC

Gaetz himself said last year that he would love to be attorney general while acknowledging it was unlikely.

From BBC