referee (/ˌref.əˈriː/)
noun · Intermediate · Culture & Society
🔊 /ˌref.əˈriː/
Meaning
Meaning: official who enforces rules
An official who watches a game or match to make sure the rules are followed and to settle disputes. The word also means an academic reviewer.
Examples
🗣 The referee blew the whistle and pointed firmly to the spot, awarding a penalty kick.
Etymology
From ‘refer’, from Latin ‘referre’ (to carry back, report), plus ‘-ee’.
How & Where It’s Used
Used in sport and, separately, in academic peer review.
Tags: sport, official