emperor

[em-per-er]

noun

1. the male sovereign or supreme ruler of an empire.

   the emperors of Rome.

2. Chiefly British.,  a size of drawing or writing paper, 48 × 72 inches (122 × 183 centimeters).

emperor

/ ˈɛmpərə /

noun

1. a monarch who rules or reigns over an empire

2. Also called: emperor moth. any of several large saturniid moths with eyelike markings on each wing, esp Saturnia pavonia of Europe See also giant peacock moth

3. See purple emperor

Other Word Forms

• emperorship noun
• preemperor noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of emperor¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English empero(u)r, (from Anglo-French; Old French empereor, from Latin imperātor, originally, “one who gives orders, ruler,” equivalent to imperā(re) “to order, command” ( im- “in” + -perāre, combining form of parāre “to provide, get ready” ) + -tor noun suffix of agency; im- ¹, prepare, -tor

Word History and Origins

Origin of emperor¹

C13: from Old French empereor, from Latin imperātor commander-in-chief, from imperāre to command, from _im- + parāre to make ready

Example Sentences

Professor England warned that emperor penguin populations are facing greater extinction risks because their chicks depend on stable sea ice to mature.

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Naturally, such arches tend to glorify the emperor.

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Decades ago, China’s one-child policy gave rise to what sociologists referred to as the “little emperor” phenomenon.

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Decades ago, China’s one-child policy gave rise to what sociologists referred to as the “little emperor” phenomenon.

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I could make a boring reference to the emperor’s new clothes.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• czar 
• dictator 
• empress 
• king 
• monarch 
• sultan