esquire

es·quire

noun \ˈes-ˌkwī(-ə)r, is-ˈ\

Definition of ESQUIRE

1

: a member of the English gentry ranking below a knight

2

: a candidate for knighthood serving as shield bearer and attendant to a knight

3

—used as a title of courtesy usually placed in its abbreviated form after the surname <John R. Smith, Esq.>

4

archaic : a landed proprietor

Origin of ESQUIRE

Middle English, from Anglo-French esquier squire, from Late Latin scutarius, from Latin scutum shield; akin to Old Irish sciath shield

First Known Use: 15th century

Other Forms of Address Terms

appellation, beatitude, brethren, emeritus, sire, sous

Rhymes with ESQUIRE

attire, backfire, bemire, catch fire, cross fire, denier, desire, entire, for hire, fox fire, Greek fire, grey friar, hang fire, hellfire, live wire, on fire, prior, rimfire, sapphire, sea fire, snow tire, town crier, trip wire, umpire, watch fire, white friar