solicitor
UK[səˈlɪs.ɪ.tər]US[səˈlɪs.ɪ.t̬ɚ]
n
a type of lawyer in the UK and some other countries who gives legal advice, prepares legal documents, and represents clients in the lower courts.
n
the chief law officer of a city, town, or government department.
Morpheme Breakdown
solicit
or
solicit
to ask for
or
agent noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'solicitor' has its roots in the latin verb solicitare, meaning 'to disturb, agitate, or arouse'. this verb itself is a compound of solus ('whole, entire') and citare ('to set in motion, to call'), thus carrying a sense of thoroughly moving or stirring something up. in medieval latin and old french, the term evolved to mean 'to manage affairs' and specifically 'to conduct a lawsuit'. entering english via anglo-norman, 'solicitor' came to denote a person who 'solicits' or manages business on behalf of another, particularly in legal matters. the modern, specialized meaning of a lawyer who handles preparatory legal work and represents clients in lower courts developed in the english legal system, retaining the core idea of an agent who actively manages and advocates for a client's affairs.
Analysis
Structure: solicit (to ask for) + or (agent noun suffix)
solicit (from latin solicitare, meaning 'to disturb, agitate, arouse'), or (a latin-derived agent noun suffix indicating 'a person who does something').
Examples
she hired a solicitor to handle the property conveyance.
the solicitor prepared a detailed contract for the business partners.
he sought advice from his solicitor before making a statement.