sir
noun
a respectful or formal term of address used to a man.
sir
American
[sur]
/ sɜr /
noun
-
sirs
plural
-
a respectful or formal term of address used to a man.
No, sir.
-
(initial capital letter) the distinctive title of a knight or baronet.
Sir Walter Scott.
-
(initial capital letter) a title of respect for some notable personage of ancient times.
Sir Pandarus of Troy.
-
a lord or gentleman.
noble sirs and ladies.
-
an ironic or humorous title of respect.
sir critic.
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Archaic. a title of respect used before a noun to designate profession, rank, etc..
sir priest; sir clerk.
Sir
1
British
/ sɜː /
noun
-
a title of honour placed before the name of a knight or baronet
Sir Walter Raleigh
-
archaic a title placed before the name of a figure from ancient history
sir
2
British
/ sɜː /
noun
-
a formal or polite term of address for a man
-
archaic a gentleman of high social status
Usage
What is a basic definition of sir? Sir is a respectful form of address for a man or a term for a gentleman. When capitalized, Sir is used as a title for a knight. The word sir has a few other senses as a noun. Sir is a respectful term used to address a man. Sir is especially likely to be used to refer to a person of higher rank or authority. In this sense, sir is the male equivalent of madam or ma’am.
- Real-life examples: Waiters or other service workers are very likely to use sir when addressing male customers. Members of the military will refer to superior officers as sir or ma’am when not using their title or rank. A person may refer to their boss or manager as sir.
- Used in a sentence: The recruits answered the drill sergeant with a loud “Sir, yes, sir!”
- Used in a sentence: I meant no offense to the good sir or his noble family.
- Real-life examples: Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain were two of the knights who served the legendary King Arthur. Sir Isaac Newton and Sir Walter Raleigh are famous historical figures who were knighted. Sir Sean Connery, Sir Patrick Stewart, and Sir Ian McKellan are three modern actors who were knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
- Used in a sentence: Because Gregory had served Great Britain loyally for over 50 years, he was knighted and became Sir Gregory.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of sir
1250–1300; Middle English; unstressed variant of sire
Explanation
Use the word sir as a formal title for a man. People often use sir to respectfully or politely address someone they don't know well. When you're saying hello to a man who's been knighted by the Queen of England, you should call him sir — it's the official way to address a knight. You can also use this word when you're writing a formal business letter: "Dear Sir or Madam, I am interested in applying for a job at your candy company." And if you're a waiter, you might use it too: "Your hamburger, sir."
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:
Reacting to Wangchuk's decision to end his hunger strike, CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke wrote in a post on X: "We are relieved and grateful that Sonam sir has ended his hunger strike after 26 days."
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
He proclaimed “there was a lot of love in that room,” later telling the press, “They said, ‘We love you, sir, we love you.’
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026
“But sir, that’s not evidence. That’s how they count the votes in California,” Welker said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026
“No, sir, that’s not the goal,” Theiling said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026
“That’s what I said to him. I said, ‘Maybe, sir, if we could see it.’
From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham
Sir Chris also said he believed the original determination by the Parades Commission to allow the march had been "legitimate".
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
Sir Chris told BBC News NI that the original Parades Commission determination would remain in place, despite his decision to stop the parade.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
Sir Ed has been leader for six years and in the 2024 general election led the party to its biggest election success, winning 72 seats.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
When asked by reporters on Friday how he would react if Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant intervenes and stops the Portadown District's parade going ahead, Power said they would "obviously not be very happy".
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
Now, however, I greeted Sir Fig Newton’s head bump with a joyous scratch behind his ear.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
The Oscar winner and the former football England captain are among 19 new sirs, while 21 damehoods have been announced, including singer and actress Elaine Paige and Regeneration novelist Pat Barker.
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2025
Thank you for coming to Rhode Island, sirs and madams.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 28, 2018
Please do not toy with us, good sirs.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2016
"Now many owners are appearing. No sirs, this is Colombian heritage."
From Reuters ● Dec. 8, 2015
“We is sorry you had to see that, sirs and miss!” squeaked a nearby elf, shaking his head and looking very ashamed.
From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling
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.
