Barrister

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈbæ.ɹɪst.É™(ɹ)/

Origin

From bar (a collective term for lawyers or the legal profession) and the suffix -ster.

Full definition of barrister

Noun

1. (legal, chiefly UK, Irish, Australian, NZ) A lawyer with the right to speak and argue as an advocate in higher lawcourts.

Usage notes

Some legal systems apply a separation of the roles of barrister and solicitor, such that a barrister (only) may address the court on a client's behalf and a solicitor (only) may act as an attorney for clients. In particular, this separation occurs in the UK and in countries that use the UK system. It does not apply in the US. Some systems apply a separation of roles that does not match the barrister/solicitor split.