If you’re wondering whether to write cryer or crier, the preferred modern spelling is crier. However, cryer is also recorded as an older spelling variant, so it isn’t accurate to call it completely nonexistent. Major dictionary evidence and historical spelling records support crier as the form to choose in modern writing, including when referring to someone who cries or a traditional town official who makes public announcements.
This guide explains the dictionary evidence, the spelling rule, the history behind both forms, and how to use the word correctly in everyday, academic, and professional writing.
What “Crier” Means
Crier is a noun for a person who cries or weeps. It can also describe an official who announces news, decisions, or public notices by speaking loudly.
For example: The child was a frequent crier whenever she felt tired.
The word has several related uses:
- A person who cries: Someone who sheds tears easily or often.
- A public announcer: An official who makes announcements in a town or community.
- A court crier: An officer who announces court proceedings or calls for order.
- A street seller: Historically, someone who calls out to advertise goods for sale.
At a glance:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Part of speech | Noun |
| Pronunciation | KRY-er |
| IPA | /ˈkraɪ.ər/ |
| Syllables | 2 |
| Plural | Criers |
The Answer in Brief
Crier is the standard spelling to use in modern English. Cryer is a historical or less common variant that appears in older dictionary records, but it isn’t the preferred choice for contemporary writing.
Both spellings refer to someone who cries or makes public announcements. The familiar expression is town crier, not town cryer.
| Form | Status in Dictionaries | Where It’s Standard | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crier | Preferred modern spelling | Contemporary English | She is a sensitive crier. |
| Cryer | Older spelling variant | Historical or less common usage | The older record lists cryer as a variant. |
For school assignments, professional documents, exa
What the Dictionaries and Style Guides Say
The dictionary evidence supports using crier in modern English, while historical records explain why you may encounter the alternative spelling.
- Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary lists crier as a noun and gives town crier as an associated expression. It explains the historical role of a person who walked through a town announcing news and official information. Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries
- Collins English Dictionary records several meanings, including a person who cries, a court or town official, and someone who advertises goods by shouting. Collins English Dictionary
- The Cambridge Guide to English Usage, by Pam Peters (2004), directly discusses crier or cryer. It explains that crier follows the spelling pattern for verbs ending in y and is overwhelmingly preferred in both American and British English databases. It also observes that Cryer is now encountered mainly as a proper name. NoZDR
- Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary records both CRIER and CRYER for the noun, showing that the alternative spelling has historical dictionary support. Crier
These sources do not establish an American-versus-British spelling difference. The distinction is mainly one of modern preference and historical usage.
There is no need to invent a style-guide disagreement: the practical recommendation is to use crier consistently.
Where the Confusion Comes From
The confusion comes from the relationship between the verb cry and the noun formed by adding the suffix -er.
An -er noun often describes a person who performs an action. For example, a person who teaches is a teacher, and a person who sings is a singer. In the same way, a person who cries can be called a crier.
Historically, English spelling was less fixed than it is today. The 1828 Webster’s dictionary recorded both forms, while later usage increasingly settled on crier. The word itself has a much older history: the noun dates to the late 13th century, and its roots connect to Old French crier, meaning to shout. Etymology, Origin & Meaning+1
The historical town crier was someone who announced important information in public places, often by calling out loudly. That tradition helped establish the spelling in the familiar expression town crier.
The Rule You Can Reuse
When a word ends in a consonant followed by y, the y usually changes to i before certain suffixes, including -er.
This is why the established noun is crier rather than cryer.
| Base Word | Correct Form | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Cry | Crier | The y changes to i. |
| Try | Trier | The y changes to i. |
| Carry | Carrier | The y changes to i. |
| Marry | Marrier | The y changes to i. |
| Supply | Supplier | The y changes to i. |
| Apply | Applier | The y changes to i. |
This is a useful spelling pattern, not a rule that guarantees every English word follows the same formation. Established spellings and exceptions still matter, so check a dictionary when you’re unsure.
Also, don’t confuse the noun crier with the verb forms cries, cried, and crying. Each has a different grammatical job.
Which Form to Use in Academic, Business, and Everyday Writing
| Setting | Recommended Form | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Academic writing | Crier | It is the established modern spelling. |
| Business writing | Crier | It is clear and widely recognized. |
| Everyday messages | Crier | It is the familiar contemporary form. |
| Historical writing | Crier | Use the standard spelling unless reproducing an original historical text. |
| Personal names | Cryer or Crier | Preserve the person’s actual spelling. |
If someone’s surname is Cryer, don’t change it to Crier. Names are proper nouns, and their spelling depends on the individual.
For a historical quotation, preserve the original spelling when accuracy requires it.
Examples in Real Sentences
Here are seven examples showing how to use the preferred spelling naturally.
1. Everyday conversation: My younger brother is a crier whenever he watches emotional movies.
2. School writing: The character is described as a sensitive crier who struggles to hide his emotions.
3. Historical writing: The town crier announced the king’s new orders in the marketplace.
4. News and announcements: A town crier once delivered important messages to people who could not read official notices.
5. Professional writing: The report describes the traditional duties of a court crier.
6. Personal communication: I’m a bit of a crier, especially during emotional films.
7. Descriptive writing: The little boy was a quiet crier who rarely complained about his feelings.
Notice that the same spelling works for both someone who sheds tears and someone who makes public announcements.
Mistakes Learners Make Most
These are the mistakes worth watching for when using this word.
1. Choosing the historical variant for ordinary writing
- ✗ She is a frequent cryer.
- ✓ She is a frequent crier.
Use the established modern spelling.
2. Misspelling the traditional expression
- ✗ The town cryer announced the news.
- ✓ The town crier announced the news.
The conventional expression is town crier.
3. Confusing the noun with the verb
- ✗ She is a cries.
- ✓ She cries easily.
- ✓ She is a crier.
Use cries as a verb and crier as a noun.
4. Using the noun where an adjective is needed
- ✗ He is a crier person.
- ✓ He is a person who cries easily.
Crier is a noun, not an adjective that normally describes another noun.
How to Remember It
Remember the connection between cry and cries.
When you turn the action into the name of the person who performs it, remember the established spelling: cry → crier. Think of the i in cries as a reminder of the i in crier.
Another helpful memory clue is the familiar phrase town crier. If you can remember that traditional expression, you’ll have a reliable model for the spelling.
Practice
Test your understanding with these five short questions. The answer and explanation follow each one.
1. Choose the preferred modern spelling:
The little girl is a frequent ______.
- A. Cryer
- B. Crier
Answer: B. Crier. This is the preferred modern spelling for a person who cries.
2. Complete the expression:
The ______ announced the news in the marketplace.
- A. Town cryer
- B. Town crier
Answer: B. Town crier. This is the established expression for a public announcer.
3. Choose the correct sentence:
- A. I am a crier.
- B. I am a cries.
Answer: A. I am a crier. Crier is a noun that can describe someone who cries easily.
4. Which spelling should you normally use in an academic essay?
- A. Cryer
- B. Crier
Answer: B. Crier. It is the preferred contemporary spelling.
5. Which spelling should you preserve if it is someone’s actual surname?
- A. Always change Cryer to Crier.
- B. Keep the person’s registered spelling.
Answer: B. Keep the person’s registered spelling. Personal names should retain their established spelling.
The Final Talk
When choosing between cryer or crier, remember that crier is the preferred spelling in modern English. Although older dictionaries recorded cryer as an alternative, contemporary writing overwhelmingly favors crier. The spelling follows the pattern of changing a final consonant-plus-y to i before adding certain suffixes.
Remember the expression town crier, and use the same spelling when describing someone who cries. For related spelling lessons, explore the difference between flyer and flier on GrammarFoundation.com.
FAQs
Yes. Crier is a recognized English noun. It describes someone who cries or a person who makes public announcements, traditionally in a town or courtroom. Oxford and Collins both record the word, including its historical public-announcer meaning.
Pretty crier is not a standard fixed English expression. Depending on the context, it could describe an attractive person who cries easily, or it could be a playful description. If you mean someone who looks attractive and cries often, the phrase needs that surrounding context to make its meaning clear.
When someone says, “I am a crier,” they usually mean they cry easily or become emotional during situations such as sad films, personal conversations, or emotional events. It is an informal way of describing a person’s tendency to shed tears.
Yes, cryer is recorded as an older spelling variant of crier. However, it is uncommon in modern English. If you’re writing an essay, school assignment, email, or article, crier is the safer and more widely accepted choice.
A crier is a general term for someone who cries or makes public announcements. A town crier is a specific traditional public announcer who shares news, official messages, and community announcements aloud. Therefore, every town crier is a type of crier, but not every crier is a town crier.
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