UMPIRE, the term used, like " referee," for a person appointed by consent to settle disputes arising between opposing parties, and particularly one chosen to see that the rules of a game are obeyed. The word itself stands for the Middle English nompere or noumpere, " a numpere " becoming " an umpire." The earlier form represents the Old French nompere, non pair, i.e. not equal, odd. The Latin impar, unequal, was similarly used in the sense of " arbitrator."