peer
pronunciation
How to pronounce peer in British English:
UK [pɪə(r)]
How to pronounce peer in American English:
US [pɪr]
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- Noun:
- a person who is of equal standing with another in a group
- a nobleman (duke or marquis or earl or viscount or baron) who is a member of the British peerage
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- Verb:
- look searchingly
Word Origin
- peer
- peer: see pair, pore
- peer (n.)
- c. 1300, "an equal in rank or status" (early 13c. in Anglo-Latin), from Anglo-French peir, Old French per (10c.), from Latin par "equal" (see par (n.)). Sense of "a noble" (late 14c.) is from Charlemagne's Twelve Peers in the old romances, who, like the Arthurian knights of the Round Table, originally were so called because all were equal. Sociological sense of "one of the same age group or social set" is from 1944. Peer review attested by 1970. Peer pressure is first recorded 1971.
- peer (v.)
- "to look closely," 1590s, variant of piren (late 14c.), with a long -i-, probably related to or from East Frisian piren "to look," of uncertain origin. Influenced in form and sense by Middle English peren (late 14c.), shortened form of aperen (see appear). Related: Peered; peering.
Example
- 1. Then her mother , then another peer .
- 2. Peer groups might influence such behaviors as smoking and obesity .
- 3. He was knighted in 1957 and later made a life peer .
- 4. Your employee performance reviews , peer reviews , company awards , or other job related achievements .
- 5. Seeing is believing : when we peer into space with a telescope , we are actually looking back in time .