referee
n. countablen. the person who makes sure players follow the rules during a sports game. They have the power to stop the game and punish players who break the rules.
n. an official who oversees a sports match to ensure adherence to the rules and to adjudicate on play. Often used in the context of football, rugby, or boxing.
The referee blew his whistle to end the game.
After the player committed a dangerous foul, the referee had no choice but to show him a red card.
A professional referee must maintain absolute neutrality and composure, even when thousands of spectators are shouting in disagreement with a controversial decision made on the field.
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.
Commonly shortened to 'ref' in informal speech.
the referee of the gamethe referee for the gameWhile 'of' is sometimes used, 'for' or 'in' are the more natural prepositions when linking a referee to a specific match.