emperor
Americannoun
-
the male sovereign or supreme ruler of an empire.
the emperors of Rome.
-
Chiefly British. a size of drawing or writing paper, 48 × 72 inches (122 × 183 centimeters).
noun
-
a monarch who rules or reigns over an empire
-
Also called: emperor moth. any of several large saturniid moths with eyelike markings on each wing, esp Saturnia pavonia of Europe See also giant peacock moth
-
See purple emperor
Other Word Forms
- emperorship noun
- preemperor noun
Etymology
Origin of emperor
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English empero(u)r, (from Anglo-French; Old French empereor, from Latin imperātor, originally, “one who gives orders, ruler,” equivalent to imperā(re) “to order, command” ( im- “in” + -perāre, combining form of parāre “to provide, get ready” ) + -tor noun suffix of agency; im- 1, prepare, -tor
Compare meaning
How does emperor compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In 2023, a hat belonging to Napoleon when he was French emperor sold for a record of nearly two million euros.
From Barron's
Driven by rumors of Severus’ impending death, some bored soldiers proclaimed one of his brutish sons as their emperor.
The forthcoming film will take place 17 years after the events of Dune: Part Two and follow the consequences of Paul Atreides' rise as galactic emperor.
From BBC
The trailer also offers a sneak peek at continued battles in the universe, even years after Paul, the “chosen one,” becomes emperor.
From Los Angeles Times
The Japanese considered the emperor to be divine, and a surrender was to admit his fallibility—a very bitter pill to swallow.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.