noun Uncommon

umpire

UHM-peye-uh

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Umpire (noun) means an official who oversees a sports match and enforces its rules, such as in baseball, cricket, or tennis. Example: “The umpire signaled that the pitch was a strike.”

noun

An official who oversees a sports match and enforces its rules, such as in baseball, cricket, or tennis.

"The umpire signaled that the pitch was a strike."

"A cricket match usually has two umpires standing on the field."

A neutral person chosen to settle a dispute between two other parties.

"The two neighbors agreed to let a mutual friend umpire their disagreement over the fence line."

verb

To serve as the official who judges a game or a dispute.

"He has umpired professional baseball games for over a decade."

How to use umpire

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe neutral official who enforces the rules and makes final calls in a sports match or a dispute.

Common mistake

In tennis and some other sports, "umpire" and "referee" both exist with slightly different roles — don't assume they're always interchangeable across sports.

Easily confused with

referee →

Common pairings

home plate umpire umpire a match the umpire's decision

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Word forms

Plural: umpires
Third person singular: umpires
Past tense: umpired

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Can you complete this real example?

The _____ signaled that the pitch was a strike.

Etymology

From a Middle English mishearing of "a noumper" as "an oumper" — the same kind of word-boundary shift that gave us "an apron" from "a napron." It ultimately traces to Old French nonper, "not equal," since an umpire is the odd, tie-breaking third party.

Origin: Old French

Synonyms

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referee ump arbiter arbitrator

Antonyms

litigant

Related words

judge reference reader GM ref referee reviewer ombudsman

Rhymes for umpire

ire fire wire tire lire dire hire mire sire afire Zaire spire

See all rhymes for umpire →

Frequently asked questions

What does “umpire” mean?

The word “umpire” means an official who oversees a sports match and enforces its rules, such as in baseball, cricket, or tennis. In plain terms, the neutral official who enforces the rules and makes final calls in a sports match or a dispute.

How do you pronounce “umpire”?

“Umpire” is pronounced UHM-peye-uh (/ˈʌm.paɪɹ/ in IPA).

How do you use “umpire” in a sentence?

Here is “umpire” used in a sentence: “The umpire signaled that the pitch was a strike.”

What part of speech is “umpire”?

Depending on how it is used, “umpire” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “umpire” come from?

The word “umpire” comes from Old French.

Is “umpire” a common word?

“Umpire” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “umpire” have?

“Umpire” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an official who oversees a sports match and enforces its rules, such as in baseball, cricket, or tennis.

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