Word
barrister
Phoneticsbar·ris·ter, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbæɹɪstɝ/
UK/bˈæɹɪstɐ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a lawyer who speaks in court and gives legal advice. In some countries, you must be a barrister to argue a case before a judge.
n. a legal professional qualified to plead cases in higher courts and provide specialist legal opinions. Distinct from solicitors in jurisdictions with a divided legal profession.
Examples
“The barrister argued the case clearly.”
“She hired a barrister to represent her in the high court trial.”
“The senior barrister delivered a compelling closing argument that swayed the jury toward acquittal.”
Examples
simple
“The barrister argued the case clearly.”
contextual
“She hired a barrister to represent her in the high court trial.”
complex
“The senior barrister delivered a compelling closing argument that swayed the jury toward acquittal.”
Real-World Examples
“During a two-day hearing at the High Court earlier this week, barristers for the MoJ said the Parole Board had failed to assess Razzell's risk properly and called for the decision to be reversed.” “The barrister told the High Court that the judge was wrong in ruling that Mr Flanagan could carry out whatever level of testing deemed necessary by his expert.” “Prince Damola A Seriki, a London School of Economics alumnus and a barrister and solicitor of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, told Al Jazeera that this could be more significant than the governorship itself.” Etymology
From bar (a collective term for lawyers or the legal profession) and the suffix -ster.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/barrister