A senior civil servant, especially one considered secretive, scheming, or reactionary. Chiefly in plural.
Origin
1980s; earliest use found in The Times. From the name of Sir Humphrey Appleby, a character created by J. Lynn and A. Jay, in the BBC television series Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister.
Definition of Sir Humphrey in US English:
Sir Humphrey
nounsəː ˈhʌmfri
British informal
A senior civil servant, especially one considered secretive, scheming, or reactionary. Chiefly in plural.
Origin
1980s; earliest use found in The Times. From the name of Sir Humphrey Appleby, a character created by J. Lynn and A. Jay, in the BBC television series Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister.