attorney
Americannoun
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attorneys
plural
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a lawyer; attorney-at-law.
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an attorney-in-fact; agent.
noun
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a person legally appointed or empowered to act for another
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a lawyer qualified to represent clients in legal proceedings
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a solicitor
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of attorney
1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French attourne literally, “(one who is) turned to,” i.e., “(one who is) appointed,” past participle of attourner “to attorn ”
Explanation
An attorney is a lawyer. Attorneys sue people, defend people, and serve as experts on the law. When there's any kind of legal issue, attorneys will be involved. They're the legal experts with law degrees who are also known as "lawyers." You'll often find them in court, defending clients or trying to put criminals in jail. Attorneys work for businesses, schools, the government, and individuals. So if you get arrested, need to write a will, or have to hash out a binding contract, an attorney is the person to call.
Vocabulary lists containing attorney
Monster
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Occupations
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Flush
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
My grandmother has asked me to accompany her to an attorney to change her will.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
His family attorney, Chuck Kenworthy, said that Soon-Shiong has no interest in selling his stake amid a high-stakes ownership transition.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
Her attorney did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
On June 7, Carolyn Smith texted me to let me know that the family had been in touch with an attorney from Ben Crump’s law firm.
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026
The judge asked Burkhart if this individual was really his attorney, and Burkhart, with one eye on Hale, said, “He’s not my attorney...but I’m willing to talk to him.”
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
“As a national accrediting body for American law schools, we remain focused on ensuring quality legal education that produces competent, ethical attorneys who are eligible for licensure,” she said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Pearce, the attorney who argued before the 9th Circuit, noted that judges in other parts of the country have nixed Trump administration maneuvers to keep de facto U.S. attorneys in power without Senate confirmation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
Meta put out a statement Tuesday denying all the claims made by the state attorneys general in their suit.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
Some have been more successful at that than others, and at times attorneys general on both sides of the aisle have been thorns in the side of the presidents they serve.
From Salon ● Aug. 18, 2026
In short, what Andrews’ defenders, a team composed of Men- ninger Clinic psychiatrists and two first-class attorneys, hoped to achieve was a victory of legal-landmark stature.
From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
