peer

¹peer

noun \ˈpir\

Definition of PEER

1

: one that is of equal standing with another : equal; especially : one belonging to the same societal group especially based on age, grade, or status

2

archaic : companion

3

a : a member of one of the five ranks (as duke, marquess, earl, viscount, or baron) of the British peerage

b : noble 1

— peer adjective

Examples of PEER

1. He was respected and admired by his peers.
2. teenagers spending time with their peer groups

Origin of PEER

Middle English, from Anglo-French per, from per, adjective, equal, from Latin par

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to PEER

Synonyms

grandee, lord, milord, nobleman, gentleman

Related Words

country gentleman, squire; cavalier, chevalier, knight; don, hidalgo, nabob, nawab, seigneur, seignior, sheikh (or sheik); baron, baronet, count, duke, earl, esquire, marchese, margrave, marquess (or marquis), master, prince, princelet, princeling, raja, viscount; lordship, sire [archaic]

Near Antonyms

boor, churl, cottar (or cotter), fellah, peasant, peon; commoner, pleb, plebeian; proletarian; toiler

Rhymes with PEER

beer, bier, blear, cere, cheer, clear, dear, deer, Deere, drear, ear, fear, fere, fleer, gear, hear, here, jeer, leer, mere, mir, near, pier, Pierre, queer, rear, schmear, sear, seer, sere, shear, sheer, skirr, smear, sneer, spear, speer, sphere, steer, tear, tier, Trier, Tyr, veer, weir, year

²peer

transitive verb

Definition of PEER

archaic

: rival, match

First Known Use of PEER

14th century

³peer

intransitive verb

Definition of PEER

1

: to look narrowly or curiously; especially : to look searchingly at something difficult to discern

2

: to come slightly into view : emerge partly

Origin of PEER

perhaps by shortening & alteration from appear

First Known Use: 1580