What is the etymology of "umpire"?

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Why: We have "referees" for kickball, even though we play on a baseball diamond.

Answer: c.1400, noumper, from Old French nonper: "odd number, not even," in reference to a third person to arbitrate between two, from non "not" + per "equal." Due to faulty separation of "a noumpere," it was heard as - and became - "an oumpere."

Originally legal, the gaming sense was first recorded 1714 (in wrestling). The verb is first recorded 1609.

Source: EtymOnline.com

The More You Know: Other words that evolved according to their articles include:

• "an adder" - originally "a nadder" (from naddre or naedre, "snake")
• "an auger" - originally "a nauger"
  
• "a nickname" - originally "an eke name" (from eke or eaca, "addition" + name)