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• kaiser
  kaiser

  noun

  a German emperor.
• Kaiser
  Kaiser

  noun

  Henry J(ohn), 1882–1967, U.S. industrialist.

kaiser

¹ American  

[kahy-zer] / ˈkaɪ zər /

noun

• kaisers
  plural

1. a German emperor.

2. an Austrian emperor.

3. History/Historical. a ruler of the Holy Roman Empire.

4. a person who exercises or tries to exercise absolute authority; autocrat.

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Kaiser ² American  

[kahy-zer] / ˈkaɪ zər /

noun

1. Henry J(ohn), 1882–1967, U.S. industrialist.

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Kaiser ¹ British  

/ ˈkaɪzə /

noun

1. any German emperor, esp Wilhelm II (ruled 1888–1918)

2. obsolete any Austro-Hungarian emperor

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Kaiser ² British  

/ ˈkaizər /

noun

1. Georg (ˈɡeːɔrk). 1878–1945, German expressionist dramatist

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Kaiser Cultural  

1. The German word for “emperor.” The emperors of Austria and Germany were called Kaisers. (See Wilhelm II.)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• kaiserdom
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• kaisers
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of kaiser

1150–1200; < German ≪ Latin Caesar emperor, special use of proper name ( see Caesar); replacing Middle English keisere, (north) caisere < Old Norse keisari ≪ Latin as above; compare Old English cāsere

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Explanation

Historically, a kaiser was a German or Austrian emperor. In North America, it's also a delicious crusty roll. This royal title goes all the way back to the Holy Roman Emperors of the 10th century, who called themselves kaiser, from Caesar, "emperor or ruler," (a reference to Julius Caesar). The term was used throughout the German Empire, until its end in the 20th century. Kaiser rolls resemble crowns and originated in Austria, where they're known as Kaisersemmel. They're named after Austrian Kaiser Franz Joseph I, who ruled from 1848 to 1916.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kaiser Kaiser kaisers

I finally found the BEC of my NYC dreams — the one served at Volunteer Park Cafe, where they make their own kaiser rolls to compensate for our sad regional deficit in that bread category.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 14, 2023

Serrated Knife: Paging your bagels, kaiser rolls, croissants, and buns.

From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2022

“The kaiser is like a balloon,” Bismarck reflected, “if you don’t keep fast hold of the string, you never know where he will be off to.”

From Washington Post ● Jan. 7, 2022

Once the kaiser abdicated, and ink on the armistice dried, worry over Edward’s deployment shifted to the hope of discharge and the anticipation of coming home.

From Slate ● May 16, 2020

To avert a catastrophe, Ludendorff told the kaiser, Germany must seek an immediate armistice.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman

Sniffer dog Kaiser, a two-year-old Alsatian rescue from the company SelectaDNA, joined officers for the operation.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

Citi continues to favor large cap and growth stocks that sport strong balance sheets, “but the positioning headwinds are clear and make adding exposure here a risky proposition,” Kaiser added.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026

That’s the observation of Stuart Kaiser, head of U.S. equity trading strategy at Citi, who in a note published late Thursday said the sell-off does not yet offer a buyable dip.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026

This is a big vulnerability for Mr. Jackson, since 47.5% of Mainers had employer health coverage in 2024, per the Kaiser Family Foundation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

McClellan has yet to find work, living off his dwindling savings and investments from his years at Kaiser, though he continues with plans to open his own car wash.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

World War I demolished empires and destroyed kings, kaisers and sultans.

From New York Times ● Nov. 9, 2018

Latvians have fled the armies of Vikings, a Swedish king, kaisers, czars and czarinas, the general secretary of the Communist Party’s Central Committee, and the Führer.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 10, 2017

The war destroyed kings, kaisers, czars and sultans; it demolished empires; it introduced chemical weapons, tanks and airborne bombing; it brought millions of women into the work force, hastening their legal right to vote.

From New York Times ● Jun. 26, 2014

Manstein's Junker ancestors had fought for two kaisers and one czar.

From Time Magazine Archive

Although she had broiled and roasted for a governor, a bishop, and various magnates of industry, she turned to scrubbing for recreation as naturally as czars and kaisers turn to chopping wood.

From Sigurd Our Golden Collie and Other Comrades of the Road by Katharine Lee Bates

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