Esquire is a title of respect commonly used in the legal profession to address lawyers, particularly in the United States and some other English-speaking countries. It is often abbreviated as “Esq.” and is used after a person’s name as a courtesy title, especially in formal correspondence or legal documents. While its usage has evolved over time and varies by jurisdiction, it generally denotes that the individual is a licenced attorney or lawyer. Historically, the term was associated with the English gentry and denoted a rank of nobility below a knight. Today, it is primarily used as a professional courtesy in legal contexts.
A title appended to a lawyer’s surname.
n. a form of address showing that someone is an attorney, usually written Albert Pettifog, Esquire, or simply Esq. Originally in England, an Esquire was a rank just above “gentleman” and below “knight.” It became a title for barristers, sheriffs and judges.
- A lawyer
- A male member of the gentry ranking below a knight
- An honorific sometimes placed after a man’s name
- A gentleman who attends or escorts a lady in public.
- A squire; a youth who in the hopes of becoming a knight attended upon a knight
- A shield-bearer, but also applied to other attendants.
- To attend, wait on, escort.
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This glossary post was last updated: 29th March 2024.
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