lawyer
UK: ˈlɔːjə | US: ˈlɔɪər
n. a person who practices or studies law; an attorney or legal advisor.
n. (colloquial) a professional trained to argue or represent clients in legal matters.
lawyer = law<legal system> + yer<agent noun suffix>
- law: From Old English lagu (law, ordinance), derived from Old Norse lag (layer, measure), reflecting the idea of "something laid down" as a rule.
- yer: A variant of the agent noun suffix -er, indicating "one who practices or is concerned with" (e.g., teacher, runner).
Etymology Origin:
The word lawyer emerged in Middle English (14th century) by combining law (rooted in Norse-influenced Old English) with the agentive suffix -yer, a dialectal form of -er. The term originally denoted someone versed in legal customs, evolving into its modern sense of a licensed legal professional. The suffix highlights the role's active nature ("one who deals with law"), while law reflects the structured, codified system it governs.
The lawyer presented compelling evidence in court.
She hired a lawyer to review the contract.
Becoming a lawyer requires years of rigorous study.
The lawyer advised his client to settle the dispute.
Many lawyers specialize in fields like corporate or criminal law.