Nero

American

[neer-oh] / ˈnɪər oʊ /

noun

(Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus ) (“Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus” ) a.d. 37–68, emperor of Rome 54–68, known for his cruelty and depravity.
a male given name.

Nero British

/ ˈnɪərəʊ /

noun

full name Nero Claudius Caesar Drusus Germanicus; original name Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus. 37–68 _ad , Roman emperor (54–68). He became notorious for his despotism and cruelty, and was alleged to have started the fire (64) that destroyed a large part of Rome

"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

Nero Cultural

An ancient Roman emperor, famed for his cruelty. He had his mother and wife killed and kicked his mistress to death while she was pregnant. Nero also persecuted Christians (see also Christian), blaming them for a great fire in Rome. According to tradition, he put the Apostles Peter and Paul to death.

Discover More

A famous legend holds that Nero caused the great fire of Rome himself and played a violin while watching it. To say that someone is “fiddling while Rome burns” is to say that the person is indifferent to catastrophe.

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:

Nero

The twins, Lucien and Lorenzo, would make Seneca, a tutor to Nero, reconsider his chosen field of endeavor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026

The area was once viewed as ominous, dominated by an ancient walnut tree believed to be infested with demons and marking the supposed burial place of Emperor Nero.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 2, 2026

This red blend of Frappato and Nero d’Avola from the sprawling Cerasuolo di Vittoria appellation in southern Sicily can be consumed right away and is wonderfully food-friendly.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 27, 2025

Costa's rivals jumped on the trend with Starbucks and Pret offering an iced matcha latte and Nero a strawberry and vanilla iced matcha latte.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2025

Lazlo wondered if his own long ago “thank you” was the only one Nero had ever spoken.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023