ruler

[roo-ler]

noun

1. a person who rules or governs; sovereign.

2. Also a strip of wood, metal, or other material having a straight edge and usually marked off in inches or centimeters, used for drawing lines, measuring, etc.

3. a person or thing that rules paper, wood, etc.

4. Astrology.,  the planet primarily associated with any sign of the zodiac or any house of the horoscope.

   The ruler of Aries is Mars. The ruler of Taurus is Venus.

ruler

/ ˈruːlə /

noun

1. a person who rules or commands

2. Also called: rule. a strip of wood, metal, or other material, having straight edges graduated usually in millimetres or inches, used for measuring and drawing straight lines

Other Word Forms

• subruler noun
• underruler noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of ruler¹

Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; rule, -er ¹

Example Sentences

Article 12 refers to a revelation written by Joseph Smith, stating, “we believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.”

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By the 19th century, it was being attacked and humiliated by European powers that had become rulers of the seas.

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At 729 feet long and 75 feet wide, the Fitz had about the same proportions “as an old wooden ruler,” Mr. Bacon writes.

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Analysts say Kagame is following the handbook of other authoritarian rulers who have manipulated sports to scrub their reputations.

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International sanctions over the past few years have made it harder for Myanmar's miliatry rulers to procure military equipment.

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Related Words

• czar 
• emperor 
• king 
• monarch 
• shah 
• sultan