attorney general

noun

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.

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

   “If you do wrongfully ſeize Herford's right, call in his Letters Patents that he hath By his Atturneyes generall, to ſue[…]”