front office

noun

1. the executive or administrative office of a company, organization, etc.

Other Word Forms

• front-office adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of front office¹

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900

Idioms and Phrases

The policy-making or executive individuals in an organization, as in I'll have to check with the front office before I can give you a discount. This term was originally underworld slang for police headquarters or the main detective bureau. It soon was extended to other administrative offices and their personnel. [c. 1900]

Example Sentences

Harbaugh didn’t rule out the front office seeking outside help via trade or free agency, saying, “We’ll look. We’re always looking, and see what the coming days bring.”

From Los Angeles Times

This bullpen has been overworked and outmatched and simply outplayed all season, and when the Dodger front office had a chance to fix it at the trade deadline, they did virtually nothing.

From Los Angeles Times

This team has done such a great job in the off-season in so many facets – on the field, off the field, front office – so I think they can definitely make it back to the Super Bowl.

From BBC

All of those names were supposed to make up the core of this year’s relief unit — the high-leverage pieces that the front office decided to invest in, and Roberts expected he’d be able to trust.

From Los Angeles Times

This is not the position the Dodgers expected to be in when they re-signed Hernández to a three-year, $66 million contract this offseason — a move Roberts described as a “no-brainer” at the time after pushing for the front office to bring the free-agent back to Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times