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Meaning of Sir Humphrey in English:

Sir Humphrey

Pronunciation /səː ˈhʌmfri/

noun

informal British

  • 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.