Definition
Officials who supervise a game or match to ensure fair play and enforce rules; people who provide references for someone's character or qualifications.
Etymology
From Latin referre 'to carry back, report' + English suffix -ee. Originally meant 'one to whom something is referred for decision,' first used in legal contexts in the 17th century, later adopted in sports.
Kelly Says
The dual meaning of 'referee'—both sports official and character witness—reflects the core concept of being a neutral third party who can be trusted to make fair judgments based on observed evidence.
Translations
AMአማርኛ
የእንቅስቃሴ ሹም
yeh-en-kus-kuh-seh shoom
BNবাংলা
রেফারি
reh-fah-ree
CACatalà
àrbitres
ah-BREE-trays
CSČeština
rozhodčí
roh-zhoh-chee
DADansk
dommere
doh-mer-eh
DEDeutsch
Schiedsrichter
SHEEDS-ree-khter
ELΕλληνικά
διαιτητές
thee-eh-tee-tehs
ESEspañol
árbitros
ah-REE-brohs
FISuomi
tuomarit
too-oh-mah-reet
FRFrançais
arbitres
ah-bree-tray
HAHA
masu gudu
mah-soo goo-doo
HEעברית
שופטים
shoh-fee-TEEM
HUMagyar
játékvezetők
yah-tehk-veh-zeh-tohk
IDBahasa Indonesia
wasit
wah-seet
IGIG
ndị ọka ikpe
n-dee oh-kah ee-keh-peh
ITItaliano
arbitri
ah-BREE-tree
KKKK
төрешілер
toh-reh-sheh-lehr
MSBahasa Melayu
pengadil
peh-ngah-deel
MYမြန်မာ
စည်းကိုင်အုပ်ချုပ်သူ
sany kine ouk chut thu
NLNederlands
scheidsrechters
SKEH-ds-reh-khters
NONorsk
dommere
doh-mer-eh
PLPolski
sędziowie
sehn-joh-vee-eh
PTPortuguês
árbitros
ah-REE-brohs
RORomână
arbitri
ah-BREE-tree
SVSvenska
domare
doh-MAH-reh
SWKiswahili
wafungaji
wah-foo-ngah-jee
TAதமிழ்
நடுவர்
nah-thoo-vahr
TEతెలుగు
రిఫరీలు
ree-fee-lu
THไทย
ผู้ตัดสิน
poo-tahd-sin
TLTL
referees
reh-feh-rees
TRTürkçe
hakemler
hah-KEHM-lehr
UKУкраїнська
судді
soo-jee
VITiếng Việt
trọng tài
trohng tah-ee
YOYO
àgbẹ̀ṣẹ
ah-gbeh-sheh
ZUZU
abafana bezemidlalo
ah-bah-FAH-nah beh-zeh-mee-dlah-loh