lawyerly

English

Etymology 1

From lawyer +‎ -ly (adjectival suffix).

Adjective

lawyerly (comparative more lawyerly, superlative most lawyerly)

  1. Characteristic of, or suitable to, a lawyer.
    She rewrote the letter to make it sound more lawyerly.
    • 1980, Stephen King, The Mist, Viking Press:
      Norton had made a neat, lawyerly check beside each of the items he and Billy had picked up—half a dozen or so, including the milk and a six-pack of Coke.
Derived terms

Etymology 2

From lawyer +‎ -ly (adverbial suffix), after the adjective.

Adverb

lawyerly (comparative more lawyerly, superlative most lawyerly)

  1. (rare) In the manner of a lawyer.
    • 1999 May 6, Niles K. (Nik) Mouser, “Danger with guns”, in alt.politics.libertarian‎[1] (Usenet), archived from the original on 3 November 2025:
      > And, in fact, there are legal limits to this alleged "right" of
      > possession as well, ones that have been upheld by the courts.
      Truly lawyerly said. Strange how the courts can uphold laws as "consitutional" that clearly contravene Constitutional clauses or ammendments.[sic] Judicial "activism" for you.
    • 2008 November 1, William Pepper, “December 26”, in In the St. Nick of Time, [United States]: Carnival of Glee Creations, →ISBN, page 326:
      “I’m not really even sure, I mean I don’t know. We'll figure it out, okay?” This statement melded into a question delivered half at Cameron and half at Cameron’s lawyer. Everett, very lawyerly, said nothing. Cameron, however, shook his head vigorously.
    • 2010, David Champion, chapter 34, in Bomber Bombs: The Ninth Bomber Hanson Mystery, Santa Barbara, Calif.: Allen A. Knoll, Publishers, →ISBN, page 220:
      “That’s my name,” she said. “Could be another Blanche Smith,” she said, lawyerly.
    • 2012, daniel storm, chapter 14, in Not Afraid to Kill-Not Afraid to Die, Elm Grove, Wis.: William J. Pulkinen & Associates, →ISBN:
      “I’m instructing you and my client to avoid all interrogation. Roosevelt is on strong narcotics for pain and could answer irrationally. I don’t want him held accountable for something he may say while under the adverse effects of narcotics.’[’] I said lawyerly.
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