Meaning & use
esquire
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Meanings
nounsingularold-fashioned
A respectful title placed after a man's full name, historically marking a gentleman below a knight.
Grammar: Follows the name, often as Esq.; do not say Mister Esquire before it.
Patterns
- John Smith, Esq.
- addressed as Esquire
- after the name
The letter was addressed to Thomas Reed, Esquire.
In older novels, a landowner might be called esquire after his name.
The form uses no comma in many modern law offices: Maria Lopez Esq.
nounsingularAmericanlegalformal
A courtesy title used after the name of a lawyer in some places, especially the United States.
Grammar: Mostly written Esq. after the full name; it is uncommon in speech.
Patterns
- Jane Doe, Esq.
- attorney with Esq.
- write Esq. after a name
The email signature read Daniel Ortiz, Esq.
Please contact Ms. Chen, Esq., about the lease.
He added Esq. after passing the bar exam.
Common combinations
- Esq. after a name
- Her card prints Priya Nair, Esq. below her phone number.
- address someone as Esquire
- The envelope addressed him as Robert Hale, Esquire.
- lawyer known as Esq.
- In the US, many attorneys sign with Esq.
Synonyms and how they differ
- Esquire
- Abbreviated Esq.; the same title in shorter written form.
Commonly confused: esquire or squire?
esquire vs squire
A squire is a historical knight's attendant or a local landowner; esquire is mainly a written courtesy title after a name.
Practice
Which form is standard for esquire in American legal writing?
Choose one answer.
Esq. or Esquire follows the full name. Putting it before the name, combining it with Mr., or treating it as a verb breaks standard use.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “esquire”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.