barrister

noun

bar·​ris·​ter ˈber-ə-stər How to pronounce barrister (audio)
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 Perth barrister Seamus Rafferty SC represented Yung Filly in Perth Magistrates Court and applied for bail on the rapper’s behalf, the BBC reported. Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2024 The 2013 Respect at Work Review, led by employment law barrister Dinah Rose, resulted in a deluge of allegations about BBC power players from nearly 1,000 staff. Jake Kanter, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2024 The realisation that women’s football isn’t a utopia for Black football fans and players became clear when Eniola Aluko, a Nigerian footballer and broadcaster, filed a report with an independent barrister against former England coach Mark Sampson for anti-Black discrimination. Beauty Dhlamini, refinery29.com, 12 July 2024 Until a true technological breakthrough changes the game, movement in today’s Turf War equilibrium is more likely to come from barristers, boardrooms or bargaining tables. Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 7 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for barrister 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'barrister.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of barrister was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near barrister

Cite this Entry

“Barrister.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barrister. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Legal Definition

barrister

noun
bar·​ris·​ter ˈbar-ə-stər How to pronounce barrister (audio)
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)

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