What does "emperor" mean?
The male monarch or ruler of an empire.
Emperor
/ˈɛmpəɹə/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The male monarch or ruler of an empire.
- Grammar: emperor is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: akbar, anointed king, babur, basileus.
- Useful contrasts: commoner, dictator, empress.
- Usage evidence: Emperor Nero was an extremely evil tyrant.
How to use "emperor"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "emperor" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "emperor" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "emperor" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "emperor" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "emperor" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "akbar" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "emperor", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The male monarch or ruler of an empire.
"In imperial China, it was often a responsibility of the emperor to evaluate his predecessor after the latter's death."
- 2 The title of an emperor.
"As military attaché to the British Embassy in Berlin he enjoyed the esteem of Emperors William and Frederick."
- 3 large richly colored butterfly wordnet
- 4 Any monarch ruling an empire, irrespective of gender, with "empress" contrasting to mean the consort of an emperor.
"In 690 Wu usurped the throne and became Emperor herself, which proved a unique event in the history of China."
- 5 Alternative form of emperor (emperor penguin). alt-of, alternative
"Certainly LH levels rise in female Emperors during the brooding (guard) phase of chick rearing and decrease significantly in females that have lost their chicks, suggesting that there is a link between brooding behaviour and elevated LH levels."
Show 10 more definitions
- 6 large moth of temperate forests of Eurasia having heavily scaled transparent wings wordnet
- 7 Specifically, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire; the world-monarch.
"The Investiture Controversy was a conflict between the Emperor and the Pope."
- 8 red table grape of California wordnet
- 9 The fourth trump or major arcana card of the tarot deck.
- 10 the male ruler of an empire wordnet
- 11 A large, relatively valuable marble in children's games.
"But marbles are not only used to play games: they are also traded. In this market, the value of the different kinds of marbles (oilies, emperors, etc.) is determined by local supply and demand and not by the price of the marbles […]"
- 12 Any fish of the family Lethrinidae.
- 13 Any of various butterflies of the subfamily Charaxinae.
- 14 Any of various large dragonflies of the cosmopolitan genus Anax.
- 15 An emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri).
"We do not know if the emperors are monogamous. I know some of the penguins species mate for life."
Example
"Emperor Nero was an extremely evil tyrant."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "emperor"?
Common synonyms include: akbar, anointed king, babur, basileus, bonaparte, caesars.
How do you use "emperor" in a sentence?
Emperor Nero was an extremely evil tyrant.
How do you pronounce "emperor"?
Pronounced /ˈɛmpəɹə/.
Etymology
From Middle English emperour, from Anglo-Norman emperour, from Latin imperātorem, derived from imperō (“to command”). Doublet of imperator. Displaced earlier Old English casere, from Latin Caesar.