How did the word ‘umpire’ come to be used in cricket?

How did the word ‘umpire’ come to be used in cricket?

The word ‘umpire’ is supposed to have been used in sports, earlier than 1714. It is a development of the old English word ‘noumpere’, which is derived from the French ‘nomper’. ‘Noumpere’ meant ‘one who decides disputes between parties’ and ‘nonper’ meant ‘not a peer, or not equal’. The umpire has indeed to be ‘without equal’ as he has the respectable and authoritative position of dispensing justice in the game