What does "laird" mean?
A feudal lord in Scottish contexts.
Laird
/lɛːd/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A feudal lord in Scottish contexts.
- Grammar: laird is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: archduke, aristocrat, armiger, baron.
- Usage evidence: Now Wiſe, and Rich, and Worthie, and Wonderful, and Faithful and True, and Rare, & Charitable, and Great Laird of Carnwath, Be not Prowd, altho I Commend you at ſuch a Rate behind your back and yet never ſaw You...
How to use "laird"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "laird" 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 "laird" 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 "laird" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "laird" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- 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 "laird" is acting as name, noun, verb 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 "archduke" 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.
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Final meaning check
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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 A feudal lord in Scottish contexts. historical
- 2 a landowner wordnet
- 3 An aristocrat, particularly in Scottish contexts and in reference to the chiefs of the Scottish clans. Scotland
"Now Wiſe, and Rich, and Worthie, and Wonderful, and Faithful and True, and Rare, & Charitable, and Great Laird of Carnwath, Be not Prowd, altho I Commend you at ſuch a Rate behind your back and yet never ſaw You..."
- 4 A landowner, particularly in Scottish contexts. Scotland
"In Scotland, the traditional term for the owner of an upland estate is the ‘laird’. [...] Well into the post-war period, the lairds of large estates were generally treated deferentially by local people but times have changed, [...] It would be a mistake to equate the title ‘laird’ to a British ‘lord’, as it does not confer any political standing, but the fact that some of Scotland’s lairds sit in the House of Lords can confuse the outsider."
Verb
- 1 Chiefly as laird it over: to behave like a laird, particularly to act haughtily or to domineer; to lord (it over). Scotland, transitive
"But cauld was his hearth ere his youdith was o'er, / An' he delved on the lands he had lairded before; / Yet though he beggared his ha' an' deserted his lea, / Contented he roamed on the banks o' the Dee."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
- 2 A place in Canada:; A township and village in Algoma District, northern Ontario.
- 3 A place in Canada:; A rural municipality, the Rural Municipality of Laird No. 404, in central Saskatchewan.
- 4 A place in Canada:; A village within the rural municipality in Saskatchewan, named after David Laird.
- 5 A place in the United States:; A census-designated place in Yuma County, Colorado.
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A place in the United States:; A township in Houghton County, Michigan.
- 7 A place in the United States:; A township in Phelps County, Nebraska.
Example
"Now Wiſe, and Rich, and Worthie, and Wonderful, and Faithful and True, and Rare, & Charitable, and Great Laird of Carnwath, Be not Prowd, altho I Commend you at ſuch a Rate behind your back and yet never ſaw You..."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "laird"?
Common synonyms include: archduke, aristocrat, armiger, baron, baronet, beneficiary.
How do you use "laird" in a sentence?
Now Wiſe, and Rich, and Worthie, and Wonderful, and Faithful and True, and Rare, & Charitable, and Great Laird of Carnwath, Be not Prowd, altho I Commend you at ſuch a Rate behind your back and yet never ſaw You...
How do you pronounce "laird"?
Pronounced /lɛːd/.
Etymology
The noun is borrowed from Scots laird, from northern or Scottish Middle English lard, laverd, a variant of lord. The verb is derived from the noun. Doublet of hlaford and lord.