emperor
[ em-per-er ]
/ ˈɛm pər ər /
noun
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 cm).
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Nearby words
Origin of emperor
Related formsem·per·or·ship, nounpre·em·per·or, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for emperor
British Dictionary definitions for emperor
emperor
/ (ˈɛmpərə) /
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 EuropeSee also giant peacock moth
See purple emperor
Derived Formsemperorship, noun
Word Origin for emperor
C13: from Old French empereor, from Latin imperātor commander-in-chief, from imperāre to command, from im- + parāre to make ready
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for emperor
emperor
early 13c., from Old French empereor (accusative; nominative emperere; Modern French empereur), from Latin imperiatorem (nominative imperiator) "commander, emperor," from past participle stem of imperare "to command" (see empire).
Originally a title conferred by vote of the Roman army on a successful general, later by the Senate on Julius and Augustus Caesar and adopted by their successors except Tiberius and Claudius. In the Middle Ages, applied to rulers of China, Japan, etc.; only non-historical European application in English was to the Holy Roman Emperors (who in German documents are called kaiser), from late 13c., until in 1804 Napoleon took the title "Emperor of the French."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper