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Arbiter vs Referee - What's the difference?

arbiter | referee |

As nouns the difference between arbiter and referee

is that arbiter is a person appointed, or chosen, by parties to determine a controversy between them; an arbitrator while referee is an umpire or judge; the official who makes sure the rules are followed during a game.

As verbs the difference between arbiter and referee

is that arbiter is to act as arbiter while referee is to act as a referee.

arbiter

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A person appointed, or chosen, by parties to determine a controversy between them; an arbitrator.
  • * 1931 , William Bennett Munro, The government of the United States, national, state, and local , page 495
    • In order to protect individual liberty there must be an arbiter between the governing powers and the governed.
  • (with of) A person or object having the power of judging and determining, or ordaining, without control; one whose power of deciding and governing is not limited.
    • Television and film, not ''Vogue and similar magazines, are the arbiters of fashion.
  • (electronics) A component in circuitry that allocates scarce resources.

    • Related terms

    () * arbitrable * arbitrage * arbitrary * arbitrate * arbitration * arbitrator * arbitress

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To act as arbiter.
  • * 2003 , Jean-Benoit Nadeau, Julie Barlow, Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't be Wrong: Why We Love France But Not the French , page 116
    • Worse, since there was no institution to arbiter disagreements between Parliament and the government, whenever Parliament voted against the government on the smallest issues, coalitions fragmented, and governments had to be recomposed.

    External links

    * *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    referee

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (sports) An umpire or judge; the 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
    • 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

    • Usage notes

    * In general, a referee moves around with the game, while an umpire stays (approximately) in one place.

    Related terms

    * ref * umpire

    Verb

    (d)
  • To act as a referee.
  • * 'He has to referee three hockey games this weekend.'
  • * 'She has to finish refereeing an article for Nature .'