Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

attorney general

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.62 in modern English

Syllables
at-tor-ney -gen-er-al
IPA
19
Scrabble Score
15
Letters
6
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The chief legal advisor to the government, overseeing legal affairs and ensuring that laws are uniformly and justly applied.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman and Law French, (modern French avocat général or procureur général), hence the unusual order of adjective following noun, instead of idiomatic English *general attorney. Compare court martial, notary public, secretary general, surgeon general.

Word Breakdown

Inflected Forms

attorneys general (plural) attorney generals (plural) Attorney-General (alternative)

Phrases

private attorney general general counsel secretary general solicitor general surgeon general

Frequently Paired Words

general counsel secretary general solicitor general surgeon general

Synonyms

AG Atty. Gen. attorney general of the united states united states attorney general us attorney general

Questions

What does attorney general mean?
The chief legal advisor to the government, overseeing legal affairs and ensuring that laws are uniformly and justly applied.
Where does attorney general come from?
From Anglo-Norman and Law French, (modern French avocat général or procureur général), hence the unusual order of adjective following noun, instead of idiomatic English *general attorney. Compare court martial, notary public, secretary general, surgeon general.

How to pronounce attorney general

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “attorney general”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “attorney general”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “attorney general” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.