sir English · revision 3351

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=clipping|attested=1297|origins=la senior}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: strong UK /sɜː/, US /sɝː/; weak UK /sə/, US /sɚ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|sir]], a reduced form of [[sire]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000)^(SOED 2002) used at first only in an unstressed position before a name.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966) Sire is from [[la|senior|t=older, older man]].^(Cresswell 2021) Etymonline notes that it is not an acronym of anything.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The title of honour of a knight or baronet, placed before his name: 1297,^(OED 1989) probably before 1300, in ''Arthour and Merlin'',^(Barnhart 1988) or about 1300.^(Etymonline) Until the 17th century it was also a title of priests.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ By about 1350 ''sir'' was used as a respectful form of address,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and in time extended to all equals or used without regard to rank.^(Etymonline) It is a salutation at the start of letters from the early 15th century,^(Etymonline) or by 1425.^(Barnhart 1988) As a noun, “a person of rank”, it is from the 14th century.^(Etymonline) It was also applied in retrospect to notable people of ancient and sacred history, from before 1300.^(OED 1989) The verb, “to address as sir”, is from 1576.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1297 – a knight's title.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1350 – a respectful form of address.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * early 15th century – in letters.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1576 – verb, to call someone sir.^(OED 1989)

+ * 17th century – no longer a priest's title.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A polite form of address to a man.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # A title used before the name of a [[knight]] or [[baronet]]: ''Sir Walter Scott''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # A salutation at the start of a letter: ''Dear Sir''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[surly]]

+ * [[siree]]

+ * [[sirrah]]

+ * [[sirree]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[senate]]

+ * [[senior]]

+ * [[sire]]

+ * [[seignior]]

+ * [[monsieur]]

+ * [[sieur]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary notes that ''sir'' has strong and weak forms: the strong form is used when children address a male teacher, in ''Dear Sir or Madam'' and to begin addressing someone, while at the end of an utterance either may be used, the weak form being more common in the military.^(Roach et al. 2011) Word Origins notes that kings were formerly addressed as ''sire'', which is now more often used of the male parent of an animal.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}