sir
UK /sɜː/ · US /sɜɹ/ noun, verb
Forms sirs sirring sirred saar
- noun A man of a higher rank or position.
- noun A respectful term of address to a man of higher rank or position, particularly:
- noun to a knight or other low member of the peerage. “Just be careful. He gets whingy now if you don't address him as Sir John.”
- noun to a superior military officer. “Sir, yes sir.”
- noun to a teacher. “Here's my report, sir.”
- noun A respectful term of address to an adult male (often older), especially if his name or proper title is unknown. “Excuse me, sir, do you know the way to the art museum?”
- verb (transitive, informal) To address another individual using "sir". “Sir, yes, sir! —Don't you sir me, private! I work for a living!”
- noun (UK) The titular prefix given to a knight or baronet.
- noun (Philippines, colloquial or informal) A respectful term of address or reference to a man of higher rank or position before the man's given name or nickname.
Etymology
From Middle English sir, unstressed form of sire, borrowed from Old French sire (“master, sir, lord”), from Latin senior (“older, elder”), from senex (“old”). Doublet of seigneur, seignior, senhor, senior, señor, senyor, signore, and sire.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A man of social authority and dignity; a lord; a master; a gentleman; --in this sense usually spelled sire. [Obs.]
- noun A title prefixed to the Christian name of a knight or a baronet.
Etymology [OE. sire, F. sire, contr. from the nominative L. senior an elder, elderly person, compar. of senex,senis, an aged person; akin to Gr. sana, Goth. sineigs old, sinista eldest, Ir. & Gael. sean old, W. hen. Cf. Seignior, Senate, Seneschal, Senior, Senor, Signor, Sire, Sirrah.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “sir”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details