squire
Americannoun
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(in England) a country gentleman, especially the chief landed proprietor in a district.
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(in the Middle Ages) a young man of noble birth who as an aspirant to knighthood served a knight.
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a personal attendant, as of a person of rank.
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a man who accompanies or escorts a woman.
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a title applied to a justice of the peace, local judge, or other local dignitary of a rural district or small town.
verb (used with object)
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to attend as, or in the manner of, a squire.
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to escort (a woman), as to a dance or social gathering.
noun
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a country gentleman in England, esp the main landowner in a rural community
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feudal history a young man of noble birth, who attended upon a knight
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rare a man who courts or escorts a woman
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informal a term of address used by one man to another, esp, unless ironic, to a member of a higher social class
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an immature snapper See snapper
verb
Other Word Forms
- squireless adjective
- squirelike adjective
- unsquired adjective
Etymology
Origin of squire
1250–1300; Middle English squier; aphetic variant of esquire
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.
Martin’s novella series “Tales of Dunk and Egg,” stars Peter Claffey as a wandering knight and Dexter Sol Ansell as his squire, who is secretly a Targaryen prince.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 18, 2026
They repeat history when the child becomes the wanna-be knight’s squire, and together they prepare for a match that Dunk is wholly unsuited to win.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 16, 2026
It follows the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall, and his squire, Egg.
From BBC • Dec. 28, 2025
Lorré, 28, is known as an ‘ecuyères’ — the French word for squire or horse rider, and has a vast knowledge of the royal stables’ history.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 29, 2024
His squire, a boy with the unfortunate name of Podrick Payne, swallowed whatever he had been about to say.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
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.
