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suzerain

[ soo-zuh-rin, -reyn ]
/ ˈsu zə rɪn, -ˌreɪn /
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noun

a sovereign or a state exercising political control over a dependent state.
History/Historical. a feudal overlord.

adjective

characteristic of or being a suzerain.

RELATED WORDS

head, superintendent, ruler, commander, director, manager, supervisor, captain, leader, chief, despot, emperor, czar, monarch, ringleader, honcho, bigwig, sovereign, governor, general

Nearby words

  1. suvorov,
  2. suwannee,
  3. suwon,
  4. suwŏn,
  5. suzanne,
  6. suzerainty,
  7. suzhou,
  8. suzie,
  9. suzuki harunobu,
  10. suárez

Origin of suzerain

1800–10; < French, equivalent to sus above (< Latin sūsum, variant of sursum, contraction of subversum, neuter of subversus upturned; see sub-, verse) + (souv)erain sovereign
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for suzerain

British Dictionary definitions for suzerain

suzerain

/ (ˈsuːzəˌreɪn) /

noun

  1. a state or sovereign exercising some degree of dominion over a dependent state, usually controlling its foreign affairs
  2. (as modifier)a suzerain power
  1. a feudal overlord
  2. (as modifier)suzerain lord

Word Origin for suzerain

C19: from French, from sus above (from Latin sursum turned upwards, from sub- up + vertere to turn) + -erain, as in souverain sovereign
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
Word Origin and History for suzerain

suzerain

n.

"sovereign, ruler," late 15c. (implied in suzerainty), from Old French sus "up, above" (from Vulgar Latin susum, from Latin sursum "upward, above," contraction of subversum, from sub "up from below") + vertere "a turning" (see versus). With ending from sovereign.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper