attorney
Americannoun
plural
attorneys-
a lawyer; attorney-at-law.
-
an attorney-in-fact; agent.
noun
-
a person legally appointed or empowered to act for another
-
a lawyer qualified to represent clients in legal proceedings
-
a solicitor
Other Word Forms
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.
The contenders, he noted, include a former state attorney general and Biden Cabinet member, a high-profile ex-congresswoman, the aforementioned hedge-fund billionaire and men with experience running two of the state’s most populous cities.
From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2026
“The cancer risk presented by these facilities is huge,” said Sarah Buckley, a senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council, adding that years of scientific study and public input informed the rules.
From Salon • May 10, 2026
“We look forward to the truth and facts coming to light through court proceedings,” said Daniel Kaiser, an attorney for Rana.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026
"But it's only gotten worse, I think, since Todd Blanche came along," McQuade, a former US attorney, told AFP.
From Barron's • May 9, 2026
He gave a million dollars in seed money and hired an attorney to draw up papers for Partners in Health and its corresponding sister organization in Haiti, Zanmi Lasante.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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.
