Meaning & use
attorney
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A person who is legally trained and licensed to represent others in legal matters, especially in court.
Grammar: Countable; can be preceded by 'an' or a possessive: my attorney, the attorney's office.
Patterns
- hire an attorney
- consult an attorney
- attorney for someone
She hired an attorney to handle the contract dispute.
The attorney advised his client not to sign the agreement.
You should speak to an attorney before making any decisions.
nouncountableformal
A formal title for a lawyer, used in official contexts such as 'attorney general' or 'district attorney'.
Grammar: Often part of a title; capitalize when used as a title before a name: Attorney Smith.
Patterns
- attorney general
- district attorney
- Attorney Smith
The Attorney General announced new guidelines for the department.
The district attorney will decide whether to press charges.
Attorney Jones will represent the company in the lawsuit.
Word forms
| plural | attorneys |
|---|
Common combinations
- attorney general
- The state attorney general filed a lawsuit against the company.
- defense attorney
- The defense attorney cross-examined the witness.
- prosecuting attorney
- The prosecuting attorney presented the evidence to the jury.
- power of attorney
- She gave her brother power of attorney to manage her affairs.
Synonyms and how they differ
- lawyer
- Lawyer is the general term for someone who practices law; attorney is more formal and often used in official titles in American English.
- counsel
- Counsel can mean a lawyer or a group of lawyers, often used in legal settings; it is more collective and formal than attorney.
- solicitor
- Solicitor is a British term for a lawyer who gives advice and prepares documents but does not usually appear in higher courts; attorney is the American equivalent.
Word family
- attorney-at-law noun
- A lawyer qualified to represent clients in court.
- attorneyship noun
- The position or role of an attorney.
Commonly confused: attorney or attorn?
attorney vs attorn
Attorn is a rare verb meaning to accept a new landlord; attorney is a noun for a lawyer.
Practice
If you need legal advice, you should consult ___ attorney.
Choose one answer.
The word 'attorney' begins with a vowel sound, so 'an' is the correct article. 'A' is used before consonant sounds, and 'the' would imply a specific attorney already mentioned.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “attorney”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.