conqueror
noun
a person who conquers or vanquishes; victor.
conqueror
American
[kong-ker-er]
/ ˈkɒŋ kər ər /
noun
-
conquerors
plural
Conqueror
British
/ ˈkɒŋkərə /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of conqueror
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English conquerour, from Anglo-French; Old French conquereor, from conquer(re) “to conquer” ( see conquer) + -eor, from either Latin -or -or 1 or -ātor -ator
Explanation
A conqueror takes over a place by using military force. If you enjoy role-playing video games, you might like taking on the persona of a conqueror who battles evil orcs in order to rule their territory. Generally, conqueror is used to mean the winner of a war or the leader of a vanquishing army. You can also use it in a figurative way for someone who wins or defeats others in a game or sport: "My conqueror in the chess match was that tiny ten-year-old kid." The Latin root of both conqueror and conquer is conquirere, "to win or procure by effort."
Vocabulary lists containing conqueror
Chinese History - Introductory
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Chinese History - Middle School and High School
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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.
See Examples For:
Gilgamesh returns to his kingdom of Uruk not as a conqueror but as a witness: to loss, to limitation, to the fragile beauty of what cannot last.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
The stylized tableau depicted Columbus as a noble conqueror: one hand raised to the horizon, the other lifting a veil from a globe.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2025
"Historically, Joan was a conqueror romantically also, not just Bob."
From Salon ● Dec. 25, 2024
Chris Hemsworth, in one of the most colorful and transformative performances of his career, plays the villain Dementus with the flair of a deranged Roman conqueror.
From Seattle Times ● May 15, 2024
They swarmed across our emplacements and redoubts, observing us with the temerity of the conqueror.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
The 11th-century work, which depicts the Norman conquest of England by William the Conqueror, arrived in London in July for a sell-out showcase that runs until July 2027.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
It depicts a medieval game of thrones as William the Conqueror fought King Harold to rule England.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
It depicts William the Conqueror becoming the first Norman king of England by seizing the English throne from Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings.
From BBC ● Jan. 16, 2026
Fans might wonder how the “Fantastic Four” post-credits scene might have played out had the studio not altered its original plans to feature Kang the Conqueror as the franchise’s next big bad.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2025
Even that legendary scoundrel William the Conqueror had a second nickname: “the Great Builder.”
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
The ancient world had many kings and conquerors, but there was no one like Alexander the Great.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
He even hailed Britain's role in colonizing North America -- a controversial subject given the atrocities against native people by waves of European conquerors who crossed the Atlantic.
From Barron's ● Apr. 28, 2026
In the 7th Century, as Arab conquerors swept across North Africa, they brought with them their language and the Islamic religion.
From BBC ● Jan. 13, 2026
Theirs is the other grand story from would-be California conquerors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 1, 2025
We’re used to seeing the Egypt of the Ptolemies through the eyes of her eventual conquerors.
From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
