Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

lawyer

American  
[law-yer, loi-er] / ˈlɔ yər, ˈlɔɪ ər /

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. lawyer up 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 British  
/ ˈlɔːjə, ˈlɔɪə /

noun

  1. a member of the legal profession, esp a solicitor See also advocate barrister solicitor

  2. a popular name for burbot

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • delawyer verb (used with object)
  • lawyerlike adjective
  • lawyerly adjective
  • nonlawyer noun
  • underlawyer noun
  • unlawyerlike adjective
  • unlawyerly adjective

Etymology

Origin of lawyer

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

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 problem, wrote Ackman, was a former lawyer in his family office, whom he called by the pseudonym Ronda.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

The Office of Legal Counsel serves as the president’s quasi in-house lawyer, offering legal analysis on the permissibility of the executive branch’s actions while also playing referee between federal agencies when they disagree.

From Slate • Apr. 9, 2026

Nicola Meier, a lawyer for the Morettis, said he was "surprised" by the former fire safety official remaining silent, while noting that "it is his right" to do so.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Leading opposition member and lawyer Fadzayi Mahere told the BBC that Zanu-PF supporters had caused the "commotion" in order to prevent critics from registering their disagreement with the bill.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

“Yes, he wanted to be a lawyer, because there was too much that’s unfair and unjust, and he wanted to do what he could to change the world.”

From "King and the Dragonflies" by Kacen Callender

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.