Esquire

Esquire (British English: /ɪˈskwaɪə/; American English: /ˈɛsˌkwaɪr/, /ɛˈskwaɪr/ or /ɪˈskwaɪr/; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title.

In the United Kingdom, Esquire historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, below the rank of knight and above the rank of gentleman. It later came to be used as a general courtesy title for any man in a formal setting, usually as a suffix to his name, as in "John Smith, Esq.", with no precise significance. In certain formal contexts, it remains an indication of a social status that is recognised in the formal Order of Precedence. Esquire is similar to the word squire, which in medieval times meant an apprentice to a knight.