# Squire

/ˈskwaɪɹ/ (US) · /skwˈaɪə/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/squire
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a friendly way to address a man, often used by someone like a shopkeeper or a taxi driver. It is a very old-fashioned and casual British term.

For teachers: a colloquial and informal term of address for a man, primarily used in British English to imply a friendly but slightly subordinate relationship. Often used by service workers or in lighthearted, mock-formal social interactions.

## Examples

- What can I get for you today, squire?
- The market trader grinned and asked the customer if he needed any help with those bags, squire.
- While the term historically referred to a land-owning gentleman, its modern usage is almost exclusively a playful or slightly cheeky British vocative used between men in casual settings.

## Usage notes

- Used primarily as a vocative (a word used to address someone directly); informal and predominantly British.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.