king

[ king ]

/ kɪŋ /

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noun

a male sovereign or monarch; a man who holds by life tenure, and usually by hereditary right, the chief authority over a country and people.

(initial capital letter) God or Christ.

a person or thing preeminent in its class: a king of actors.

a playing card bearing a picture of a king.

Chess. the chief piece of each color, whose checkmating is the object of the game; moved one square at a time in any direction.

Checkers. a piece that has been moved entirely across the board and has been crowned, thus allowing it to be moved in any direction.

Entomology. a fertile male termite.

a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter K.

verb (used with object)

to make a king of; cause to be or become a king; crown.

Informal. to design or make (a product) king-size: The tobacco company is going to king its cigarettes.

verb (used without object)

to reign as king.

adjective

Informal. king-size.

Verb Phrases

king it, to play the king; behave in an imperious or pretentious manner: He kinged it over all the other kids on the block.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of king

before 900; Middle English; Old English cyng, cyni(n)g; cognate with German König,Dutch koning,Old Norse konungr,Swedish konung,Danish konge.See kin, -ing³

OTHER WORDS FROM king

kingless, adjectiveking·less·ness, nounkinglike, adjectiveoutking, verb (used with object)

subking, nounun·der·king, nounun·kinged, adjectiveun·king·like, adjective

Words nearby king

kinetograph, kinetoplast, kinetoscope, kinetosis, kinfolk, king, king bee, kingbird, kingbolt, King Charles spaniel, king closer

Other definitions for king (2 of 2)

King

[ king ]

/ kɪŋ /

noun

Bil·lie Jean (Mof·fitt)

[bil-ee jeen-mof-it], /ˈbɪl i ˈdʒin ˈmɒf ɪt/, born 1943, U.S. tennis player.

Clarence, 1842–1901, U.S. geologist and cartographer.

Co·ret·ta Scott

[kaw-ret-uh-skot], /kɔˈrɛt ə ˈskɒt/, 1927–2006, U.S. civil rights leader (widow of Martin Luther King, Jr.)

Ernest Joseph, 1878–1956, U.S. naval officer.

Martin Luther, Jr., "MLK", 1929–68, U.S. Baptist minister: civil rights leader; Nobel Peace Prize 1964.

Maxine "Micki", born 1944, U.S. springboard and platform diver.

Richard, 1825–85, U.S. rancher and steamboat operator.

Riley B. "B.B.", 1925–2015, U.S. blues singer and guitarist.

Rufus, 1755–1827, U.S. political leader and statesman.

Stephen, born 1947, U.S. novelist and short-story writer.

William Lyon Mackenzie, 1874–1950, Canadian statesman: prime minister 1921–26, 1926–30, 1935–48.

William Rufus De·Vane

[duh-veyn], /dəˈveɪn/, 1786–1853, vice president of the U.S. 1853.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use king in a sentence

The king might be reminded by the slave that he is but dust, but he is still the king.
The Human Error Darwin Inspired - Issue 90: Something Green|Aaron Hirsh|September 30, 2020|Nautilus
Rugged construction and a variety of sizes—from twin to king—hold large adults and couples with ease.
Air mattresses for people who love to entertain and travel|PopSci Commerce Team|September 30, 2020|Popular-Science
From Shoney’s to Sizzler, from sea to shining sea, the buffet was a feast fit for kings, or a family of four.
Fast-Food Buffets Are a Thing of the Past. Some Doubt They Ever Even Existed.|MM Carrigan|September 29, 2020|Eater
In Katmai National Park, sockeye salmon is king of the menu and also home to one of the largest and healthiest runs remaining on the planet.
Environment Report: County Celebrates Then Sinks Its Climate Plan|MacKenzie Elmer|September 28, 2020|Voice of San Diego

He’s the king of slim fit, but his real pandemic innovation is matching bow tie and mask sets.
This Weekend: Mix Your Coffee With … Lemonade?|Fiona Zublin|August 14, 2020|Ozy
I wish I was a young Carole King, working in the Brill Building.
Belle & Sebastian Aren’t So Shy Anymore|James Joiner|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
As played by Omundson, King Richard is effeminate, sincere, and ten times funnier than everyone else.
‘Galavant’: A Drunken, Horny Musical Fairy Tale|Melissa Leon|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But his words felt forced and were belied his 2004 vote to oppose marking Martin Luther King Jr.
Steve Scalise Shows There’s a Fine Line Between Confederate & Southern|Lloyd Green|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The last film about Martin Luther King was made for television in 1977.
Dr. King Goes to Hollywood: The Flawed History of ‘Selma’|Gary May|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
King agreed to this arrangement but did not reveal it to his followers.
Dr. King Goes to Hollywood: The Flawed History of ‘Selma’|Gary May|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The big room at King's Warren Parsonage was already fairly well filled.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
A fancy came into my head that I would entertain the king and queen with an English tune upon this instrument.
Gulliver's Travels|Jonathan Swift
The King of Delhi had a hunting-lodge somewhere in the locality, but he had never seen the place.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
The archbishop of Manila sends to the king (July 30, 1621) an account of ecclesiastical and some other affairs in his diocese.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
The sad end of the mission to King M'Bongo has been narrated in the body of this work.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills

British Dictionary definitions for king (1 of 2)

king

/ (kɪŋ) /

noun

a male sovereign prince who is the official ruler of an independent state; monarchRelated adjectives: royal, regal, monarchical

a ruler or chiefking of the fairies
(in combination)the pirate king

a person, animal, or thing considered as the best or most important of its kind
(as modifier)a king bull

any of four playing cards in a pack, one for each suit, bearing the picture of a king

the most important chess piece, although theoretically the weakest, being able to move only one square at a time in any directionSee also check (def. 30), checkmate

draughts a piece that has moved entirely across the board and has been crowned, after which it may move backwards as well as forwards

king of kings

God
a title of any of various oriental monarchs

verb (tr)

to make (someone) a king

king it to act in a superior fashion

Derived forms of king

kinghood, nounkingless, adjectivekinglike, adjective

Word Origin for king

Old English cyning; related to Old High German kunig king, Danish konge

British Dictionary definitions for king (2 of 2)

King

/ (kɪŋ) /

noun

B.B., real name Riley B. King. born 1925, US blues singer and guitarist

Billie Jean (née Moffitt). born 1943, US tennis player: winner of twelve Grand Slam singles titles, including Wimbledon (1966–68, 1972–73, and 1975) and the US Open (1967, 1971–72, and 1974)

Martin Luther. 1929–68, US Baptist minister and civil-rights leader. He advocated nonviolence in his campaigns against the segregation of Black people in the South: assassinated: Nobel Peace Prize 1964

Stephen (Edwin). born 1947, US writer esp of horror novels; his books, many of which have been filmed, include Carrie (1974), The Shining (1977), Misery (1988), and Everything's Eventual (2002)

William Lyon Mackenzie. 1874–1950, Canadian Liberal statesman; prime minister (1921–26; 1926–30; 1935–48)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with king

king

In addition to the idiom beginning with king

, also see

live like a king

king

Origin of king

OTHER WORDS FROM king

Words nearby king

Other definitions for king (2 of 2)

Words related to king

How to use king in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for king (1 of 2)

Derived forms of king

Word Origin for king

British Dictionary definitions for king (2 of 2)

Other Idioms and Phrases with king