baron

¹

[ bar-uhn ]

noun

1. a member of the lowest grade of nobility.
2. (in Britain)
   1. a feudal vassal holding his lands under a direct grant from the king.
   2. a direct descendant of such a vassal or his equal in the nobility.
   3. a member of the House of Lords.
3. an important financier or industrialist, especially one with great power in a particular area:

   an oil baron.

4. a cut of mutton or lamb comprising the two loins, or saddle, and the hind legs.

Baron

²

[ ba-rawn ]

noun

1. Mi·chel [mee-, shel], Michel Boyron, 1653–1729, French actor.

baron

/ ˈbærən /

noun

1. a member of a specific rank of nobility, esp the lowest rank in the British Isles
2. (in Europe from the Middle Ages) originally any tenant-in-chief of a king or other overlord, who held land from his superior by honourable service; a land-holding nobleman
3. a powerful businessman or financier

   a press baron

4. English law (formerly) the title held by judges of the Court of Exchequer
5. short for baron of beef

Word History and Origins

Origin of baron¹

1200–50; Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French < Late Latin barōn- (stemof barō ) man < Germanic; sense “cut of beef ” perhaps by analogy with the fanciful analysis of sirloin as “Sir Loin”

Word History and Origins

Origin of baron¹

C12: from Old French, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German baro freeman, Old Norse berjask to fight

Example Sentences

In 2012, the Kazakh foreign minister actually thanked Baron Cohen for making the movie.

From The Daily Beast

Adam Baron, who reported for McClatchy and the Christian Science Monitor, was deported in May without any government explanation.

From The Daily Beast

I told Seiler that I certainly did remember Edo Vanni, an outfielder who passed through briefly as a Baron.

From The Daily Beast

Your dad worked with Sherrill on The Baron in 1981 and recorded a few songs for Out Among the Stars around that time.

From The Daily Beast

Ryan Seacrest will be there chatting everyone up—and have his security scanning the perimeter for any sign of Sacha Baron Cohen.

From The Daily Beast

“This house must have been the hotel of some distinguished family, Baron; it is nobly proportioned,” said David Arden.

From Project Gutenberg

Monsieur,” growls the baron, “stone walls have ears, you say if only they had tongues; what tales these could tell!

From Project Gutenberg

It was true that his sight had grown accustomed to the obscurity, for he could now see the baron's features much more distinctly.

From Project Gutenberg

The baron turned full upon him, and leaned his shoulders against the iron door of the recess.

From Project Gutenberg

“But this is not a case of attending a patient, Baron,” said David Arden, a little haughtily.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• aristocrat