referee

What it means

1. hobbiesAn 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.

2. A person who settles a dispute.
3. UKA 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.

In a sentence

The referee kicked Jim out of the game for fighting.

Where it comes from

1. Latinreferre“to carry back, to report, to notify”
2. Old Frenchreferer“to relate, to refer”
3. Middle English[Term?]
4. Englishreferee

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.