WordValebailiff
an officer who keeps order in a courtroom
In more detail
1. (noun) an official who works in a court of law and maintains order or carries out the court's decisions
2. (noun) an official employed by a landowner to manage their property or collect rents
Examples
- 1. The bailiff escorted the defendant into the courtroom.
- 2. The bailiff collected the tenant's rent payment for the landlord.
How to use bailiff
A bailiff is a law enforcement or administrative official whose specific duties depend on context: in courts, they maintain order and execute orders; in property management, they act as the landowner's representative. The term is chiefly British, though used in American legal contexts with slightly different connotations. It carries a formal, institutional tone.
Common phrases
- court bailiff
- bailiff's court
- summons from a bailiff
- bailiff arrives
- bailiff enforcement
- bailiff collects rent
Synonyms
court officer · usher · marshal · constable · agent
Word family
bailiwick
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse bailiff with bailout or bail (the monetary payment), or assume the role is primarily security-focused when it often involves administrative and enforcement duties.
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