lawyer

The word “lawyer” means a person qualified to advise on or represent others in legal matters. In plain terms, someone trained and licensed to practise law.

“Lawyer” is pronounced LAW-yuh (/ˈlɔɪ.ɚ/ in IPA).

Here is “lawyer” used in a sentence: “She hired a lawyer to review the contract before signing.”

Words with a similar meaning to “lawyer” include abogado, advocate, attorney, avocat, counsel and counselor.

The opposite of “lawyer” — its antonyms — is non-lawyer.

“Lawyer” is a noun.

The word “lawyer” comes from Middle English. From Middle English lawiere — "law" plus the agent suffix "-yer.".

“Lawyer” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

A lawyer is anyone qualified in law and able to advise on legal matters. An attorney, short for attorney-at-law, is a lawyer licensed to represent clients in court. In everyday American usage the words overlap, but strictly every attorney is a lawyer, while not every lawyer practises as an attorney.

In the UK, lawyer is the general term, while a solicitor is a specific kind who advises clients and handles paperwork, mostly out of court. A barrister, by contrast, argues cases in the higher courts. Americans rarely use solicitor this way, which is why the terms confuse readers across different countries.

Lawyers usually specialise by area of law. Common types include criminal, family, corporate, immigration, employment, personal-injury, tax, and intellectual-property lawyers. Some focus on advising clients and drafting documents, while others concentrate on courtroom advocacy. The specialism shapes the daily work, from writing contracts to defending clients at trial.

A lawyer advises people and organisations on their legal rights, drafts documents such as contracts and wills, negotiates on a client's behalf, and may represent them in court. Much of the work is research and paperwork rather than dramatic trials. At its core, the role is guiding clients through the law.