lawyer

[ law-yer, loi-er ]

noun

1. a person whose profession is to represent clients in a court of law or to advise or act for clients in other legal matters.
2. New Testament. an interpreter of the Mosaic Law. Luke 14:3.

verb (used without object)

1. to work as a lawyer; practice law.

verb (used with object)

1. to submit (a case, document, or the like) to a lawyer for examination, advice, clarification, etc.

verb phrase

1. Informal. to hire a lawyer, especially when there is a perceived risk of being sued or charged with a crime:

   It’s time to lawyer up to protect yourself and your family.

lawyer

/ ˈlɔːjə; ˈlɔɪə /

noun

1. a member of the legal profession, esp a solicitor See also advocate barrister solicitor
2. a popular name for burbot

Other Words From

• lawyer·like lawyer·ly adjective
• de·lawyer verb (used with object)
• non·lawyer noun
• under·lawyer noun
• un·lawyer·like adjective
• un·lawyer·ly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lawyer¹

First recorded in 1350–1400, lawyer is from the Middle English word lawyere. See law ¹, -ier ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of lawyer¹

C14: from law ¹

Example Sentences

Richard Painter, a University of Minnesota Law School professor and former chief White House ethics lawyer, said that if Musk is truly working outside the government he doesn’t have to sell his assets, but that limits his influence.

From Los Angeles Times

The expansion of queer online communities has allowed Li Shuning, an estate planning lawyer based in Shenzhen, to reach more LGBTQ+ clients through social media.

From Los Angeles Times

In December, Li started a Xiaohongshu account marketing herself as a “Rainbow Lawyer.”

From Los Angeles Times

A lawyer for the European Parliament, Patrick Maisonneuve, said he was not surprised by the sentence being requested.

From BBC

It was during the nationally televised Army–McCarthy hearings of 1954 that Joseph Welch, the lawyer for an accused officer, snapped back at the senator, “Have you no sense of decency, sir?”

From Slate

Related Words

• advocate
• counselor