Meaning & use
squire
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Meanings
nouncountable
In the Middle Ages, a young nobleman who served a knight and trained to become one.
Grammar: Use it for one person; the plural is squires.
Patterns
- a squire to a knight
- serve as a squire
The young squire polished his master's armor before the tournament.
He became a squire at the age of fourteen.
The squire rode beside the knight into battle.
nouncountableBritishold-fashioned
A country gentleman, especially in England, who owns a large estate.
Grammar: Often used with a capital S in British contexts: Squire Brown.
Patterns
- the local squire
- a country squire
The local squire owned most of the land around the village.
He lived the life of a country squire, hunting and managing his estate.
Word forms
| plural | squires |
|---|
Common combinations
- squire to a knight
- He served as a squire to a knight for five years.
- country squire
- The country squire invited his neighbors to a hunt.
- the local squire
- The local squire donated land for the new school.
Synonyms and how they differ
- attendant
- A more general word for someone who serves another; squire is specific to a knight's trainee.
- landowner
- Focuses on owning land; squire adds the idea of a gentleman with social standing.
Word family
- squire verb
- To escort or attend someone; less common than the noun.
- squirearchy noun
- The class of country squires; a rare, formal term.
Commonly confused: squire or esquire?
squire vs esquire
Esquire is a title of respect, often abbreviated Esq., while squire is a historical role or a country gentleman.
Practice
In medieval times, a young man who served a knight while training to become one was called a ______.
Choose one answer.
A squire was a knight's attendant in training. A page was a younger servant, and esquire is a later title of respect.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “squire”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.