sir
English
Etymology
From Middle English sir, borrowed from Old French sire (“master, sir, lord”), from Latin senior (“older, elder”), from senex (“old”). Compare sire, signor, seignior, señor.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈsɜː(ɹ)/
- (General American) enPR: ˈsûr, IPA(key): /ˈsɝ/
Audio (US) (file)
- (Scotland) IPA(key): /ˈsɪɹ/
- (Indian English) IPA(key): /ˈsə(ɹ)/
- Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)
Noun
sir (plural sirs)
- A man of a higher rank or position.
- A respectful term of address to a man of higher rank or position, particularly:
- 1991 May 12, "Kidnapped!" Jeeves and Wooster, Series 2, Episode 5:
- Jeeves: Foreign travel often liberates emotions best kept in check, sir. The air of North America is notoriously stimulating in this regard, as witness the regrettable behavior of its inhabitants in 1776.
B. Wooster: Hm? What happened in 1776, Jeeves?
Jeeves: I prefer not to dwell on it, if it's convenient to you, sir.
- Jeeves: Foreign travel often liberates emotions best kept in check, sir. The air of North America is notoriously stimulating in this regard, as witness the regrettable behavior of its inhabitants in 1776.
- 1991 May 12, "Kidnapped!" Jeeves and Wooster, Series 2, Episode 5:
- A respectful term of address to any male, especially if his name or proper title is unknown.
- Excuse me, sir, do you know the way to the art museum?
Coordinate terms
Translations
man of a higher rank or position
address to a military superior
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address to any male, especially if his name or proper address is unknown
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Verb
sir (third-person singular simple present sirs, present participle sirring, simple past and past participle sirred)
- To address (someone) using "sir".
- Sir, yes, sir!
Don't you sir me, private! I work for a living!
See also
Further reading
- sir in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
- sir in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
Serbo-Croatian
Etymology
From Proto-Slavic *syrъ, derived from "sour milk"
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /sîr/
Declension
Slovene
Etymology
From Proto-Slavic *syrъ, derived from "sour milk"
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈsír/
- Tonal orthography: sȉr
Zazaki
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ˈsiɾ]
- Hyphenation: sir
References
- Initial SLLE Survey of the Zway Area by Klaus Wedekind and Charlotte Wedekind
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