Ever wondered why we have Sheriffs? I mean, we have policemen, why do we need Sheriffs? Where did this word even come from?
In Merry Olde England, the head of a Shire was a Shire Reeve. According to Collins dictionary, the definition of Reeve is the local representative of the king in a shire.
Consider that the likely pronunciation of "shire" in middle English is "sheer" or "sheera" you now have a "sheer reeve." Shire Reeve morphs into Sheriff.
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