What does crier mean?
A crier is a person whose role is to make public announcements by voice — historically, a figure central to communication before mass literacy. The best-known example is the town crier, an official who walked the streets ringing a bell and shouting news, proclamations, or legal notices so that everyone, including those unable to read, would be informed. The word also applies more broadly to anyone who calls out publicly, such as a vendor hawking goods, and informally it can describe a person inclined to tears. While largely obsolete as an occupation, the term survives in ceremonial roles at civic events and in historical fiction, giving it a distinctly old-world flavor. Understanding 'crier' connects modern readers to a time when the loudest voice in the square was the day's only newspaper.
A person who makes public announcements or proclamations aloud, especially one officially appointed for the purpose.
"The village crier announced the market day at dawn."
Often used in the fixed phrase 'town crier'.
(Informal) A person who cries or is given to shedding tears.
"He's a bit of a crier during sad movies."
Standard plural formation.
"Criers once served as the primary means of spreading public news."
Before newspapers existed, the news literally walked — town criers shouted 'Oyez, oyez!' through medieval streets because most people couldn't read.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of crier
Crier derives from the Old French 'crier', meaning to cry out or shout, which itself traces back to Latin 'quiritare' — to shriek or wail, originally invoking the Quirites (Roman citizens) for help. English borrowed both the verb 'cry' and the agent noun 'crier' from French in the medieval period, when criers served as living broadcast systems. The word shares this root with 'cry' itself and, more distantly, with words of proclamation like 'recite' and 'proclaim' via related Latin verbs.
How crier is actually used
Most common today in historical contexts and the fixed phrase 'town crier'. The informal sense of 'someone who cries easily' is less formal and appears mainly in casual speech.
Easily confused with crier
'Crier' is a noun for a person who announces or shouts aloud, while 'crying' is the act of weeping or calling out.
Though 'crier' can rarely mean someone who weeps easily, its dominant sense is an official who makes public proclamations.