suzerain

[ soo-zuh-rin, -reyn ]
See synonyms for suzerain on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a sovereign or a state exercising political control over a dependent state.

  2. History/Historical. a feudal overlord.

adjective
  1. characteristic of or being a suzerain.

Origin of suzerain

1
1800–10; <French, equivalent to sus above (<Latin sūsum, variant of sursum, contraction of subversum, neuter of subversus upturned; see sub-, verse) + (souv)erainsovereign

Words Nearby suzerain

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use suzerain in a sentence

  • Very lightly, though armed, the twain dismounted, and stood side by side before their suzerain.

    God Wills It! | William Stearns Davis
  • The only hope of the Jews lay in the clemency of their victorious suzerain, and it did not fail them.

  • The Sacrifice of the Horse was an ancient Hindu custom practised by kings exercising suzerain powers over surrounding kings.

    Maha-bharata | Anonymous
  • And yet at Vienna was a suzerain who might chastise the official participators in a crime against the Empire's laws.

    A German Pompadour | Marie Hay
  • You must now take the pledge of fealty and homage to Charles, King of the Franks, as your suzerain seigneur.

British Dictionary definitions for suzerain

suzerain

/ (ˈsuːzəˌreɪn) /


noun
    • a state or sovereign exercising some degree of dominion over a dependent state, usually controlling its foreign affairs

    • (as modifier): a suzerain power

    • a feudal overlord

    • (as modifier): suzerain lord

Origin of suzerain

1
C19: from French, from sus above (from Latin sursum turned upwards, from sub- up + vertere to turn) + -erain, as in souverain sovereign

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012