peer

Meanings

Verb

• To look with difficulty, or as if searching for something.
• To come in sight; to appear.
• To make equal in rank.
• To carry communications traffic terminating on one's own network on an equivalency basis to and from another network, usually without charge or payment. Contrast with transit where one pays another network provider to carry one's traffic.

Noun

• A look; a glance.
• Somebody who is, or something that is, at a level or of a value equal (to that of something else).
• Someone who is approximately the same age (as someone else).
• A noble with a title, i.e., a peerage, and in times past, with certain rights and privileges not enjoyed by commoners.
• A comrade; a companion; an associate.
• Someone who pees, someone who urinates.

Origin

• From Middle English piren ("to peer"), from or related to Saterland Frisian pierje ("to look"), Dutch Low Saxon piren ("to look"), West Flemish pieren ("to look with narrowed eyes, squint at"), Dutch pieren ("to look closely at, examine"). Or, possibly from a shortening of appear.
• From Middle English pere, per, from Anglo-Norman peir, Old French per, from Latin pār. pair, and par
• pee + -er