attorney general

noun

plural attorneys general or attorney generals

: the chief law officer of a nation or state who represents the government in litigation and serves as its principal legal adviser

Examples of attorney general in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The state attorney general was accused of accepting bribes and abusing his office to help a political donor whom the FBI was investigating. — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026

The prime minister handpicked Mandelblit, his former Cabinet secretary, for the attorney general job. — Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026

In 2013, Ecuador’s then-attorney general, Galo Chiriboga, announced a money laundering investigation involving Fondo Global de Construcción, a company established in Ecuador in which Pulido was a shareholder. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026

Voters will choose candidates for nearly every statewide office, including governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state school superintendent and the commissioners of agriculture, insurance and labor. — Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 12 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1585, in the meaning defined above

Video

Is It 'Attorney Generals' Or 'Attorneys General'?

'Poets laureate'? 'Court-martials'? The curious history of postpositive adjectives in English.

Kids Definition

attorney general

noun

plural attorneys general or attorney generals

: the chief law officer of a nation or state who represents the government in legal matters

Legal Definition

attorney general

noun

plural attorneys general or attorney generals

: the chief law officer of a nation or state who represents the government in litigation and serves as its principal legal advisor