SINCE 1828
dictionary
thesaurus

oyer

noun
Save Word
oy·​er | \ ˈȯiər \
plural -s

Definition of oyer

1 : a criminal trial held under a commission of oyer and terminer
2a : the hearing of a document read in court specifically : the hearing of a deed or other instrument read in court by petition of a party to a suit
b : a copy of the instrument given rather than read to the petitioning party

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

History and Etymology for oyer

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Old French oir to hear, from Latin audire

Learn More About oyer

Dictionary Entries Near oyer

oyapock

oyer

oyer and terminer

See More Nearby Entries 

Statistics for oyer

Cite this Entry

“Oyer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oyer. Accessed 28 May. 2022.

Style: MLA
MLACheck Mark Icon ChicagoCheck Mark Icon APACheck Mark Icon Merriam-WebsterCheck Mark Icon

WORD OF THE DAY

propagate

Listen to the pronunciation of propagate

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Name That Color

  • a light greenish blue color
  • Name that color:
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games