referee
verb
- referee
noun
- authority figure in professional sports
- tennis official
- person of authority, in a variety of sports, who is responsible for presiding over the game from a neutral point of view
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˌɹɛf.əˈɹiː/ / /ˌɹɛf.əˈɹi/
noun
Etymology: From Middle English [Term?], from past participle of Old French referer (“to relate, to refer”), from Latin referre (“to carry back, to report, to notify”); as if refer + -ee, that is, the person to whom something is referred for consideration.
- An umpire or judge; an official who makes sure the rules are followed during a game.
“The referee kicked Jim out of the game for fighting.”
- A person who settles a dispute.
- A person who writes a letter of reference or provides a reference by phone call for someone. (In the UK such a person is sometimes, and in the US the person is typically, referred to as a reference.)
“Your application, along with letters from three referees, should be received by January 31.”
- An expert who judges the manuscript of an article or book to decide if it should be published.
verb
Etymology: From Middle English [Term?], from past participle of Old French referer (“to relate, to refer”), from Latin referre (“to carry back, to report, to notify”); as if refer + -ee, that is, the person to whom something is referred for consideration.
- To act as a referee.
“He has to referee three hockey games this weekend.”
“She has to finish refereeing an article for Nature.”