liar English · revision 10504

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 950|origins=ang lēogere}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈlaɪ.ə/ ''(UK)''; /ˈlaɪ.ɚ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English liar, lier, [[inh|ang|lēogere|t=liar, false witness, hypocrite]], Anglian lēgere,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) an agent noun from lēogan, to be untruthful (see [[lie]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) The ending -ar, rather than -er, was probably in imitation of refashioned forms such as scholar for scoler and pillar for piler.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) A different formation gave Dutch leugenaar and German [[m|de|Lügner]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ One who tells lies: about 950, in the gloss of the Lindisfarne Gospels.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The modern form liar is recorded before 1225.^(Barnhart 1988) Used attributively, lying or deceitful, it is from before 1300, and ''liar dice'' is a gambling game like poker played with dice.^(OED 1989) The ''liar'' paradox in logic, of a speaker who says that he is lying, is from 1871.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 950 – lēgere.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1225 – liar.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1871 – the liar paradox.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who tells [[lie]]s.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[liar paradox]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lie]]

+ * [[lying]]

+ * [[perjurer]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In Herefordshire dialect, liar was a pronunciation of lawyer.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}