barrister

noun

bar·​ris·​ter ˈber-ə-stər 

ˈba-rə-

: a counsel admitted to plead at the bar and undertake the public trial of causes in an English superior court compare solicitor

Examples of barrister in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The human rights barrister gave a masterclass in date night style with a roster of prize vintage dresses. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 17 Dec. 2024

Running parallel with Ben’s story, the audience is introduced to Indy, a criminal barrister. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024

The most famous billionaire barrister was Texas tort king Joe Jamail, who made Forbes’ list of the 400 richest Americans repeatedly before his death in 2015. —Brandon Kochkodin, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024

They are not known to the public but have been chosen by Murray Rosen KC, the barrister who is the head of the Premier League’s independent judicial panel. —Adam Crafton, The Athletic, 15 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English barrester, from barre bar + -ster (as in legister lawyer)

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

barrister

noun

bar·​ris·​ter ˈbar-ə-stər 

1

: a lawyer who argues cases before a British court

especially : one who is allowed to argue before a British high court compare solicitor

Note: Many countries in the Commonwealth (as England and Australia) and the Republic of Ireland divide the legal profession into barristers and solicitors. In Canada, every lawyer is both a barrister and a solicitor, although individual lawyers may describe themselves as one or the other. Scotland uses the term advocate to refer to lawyers allowed to argue cases in its courts.

2

: lawyer

Etymology

Middle English barrester, from barre bar + -ster (as in legister lawyer)