English Dictionary
Definition Sir Humphrey in British English
Sir Humphrey noun
[countable] noun
/sə(r) ˈhʌmfri/
From Sir Humphrey Appleby, a character in an old British television series called ‘Yes Minister’.
1
a senior civil servant (=government official who is not elected) who influences government decisions by clever indirect methods
Example
The new rules governing freedom of information will allow the Sir Humphreys of Whitehall to exercise effective power without being subject to public scrutiny.
Synonyms and related words
