Gardner, Erle Stanley Syllabification: (Gard·ner, Erle Stanley)Pronunciation: /ˈgärdnər/Definition of Gardner, Erle Stanley (1899–1970), US novelist and short-story writer. He practiced as a defense lawyer before writing novels that feature lawyer-detective Perry Mason. Gardner, Erle Stanley in other Oxford dictionaries Definition of Gardner, Erle Stanley in the British & World English dictionary