Etymology
From Middle English emperour, borrowed from Anglo-Norman emperour and Old French empereor (Modern French empereur), from Latin imperÄtor (emperor, commander), from imperÄre (to command).
Noun
emperor (plural emperors)
- 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.
- Any monarch ruling an empire, irrespective of gender, with "empress" contrasting to mean the consort of an emperor.
- The ruler of the Holy Roman Empire; the world-monarch.
- The Investiture Controversy was a conflict between the Emperor and the Pope.
- (tarot) The fourth trump or major arcana card of the tarot deck.
- A large, relatively valuable marble in children's games.
- Any fish of the family Lethrinidae.
- (entomology) Any of various butterflies of the subfamily Charaxinae.
- (entomology) Any of various large dragonflies of the cosmopolitan genus Anax.
- An emperor penguin.
Usage notes
- The only monarch presently styled "emperor" is the Emperor of Japan (天皇 tennÅ). The British monarch ceased to be styled Emperor of India in 1948.
- An emperor is generally addressed as "His Imperial Majesty."
Derived terms
- Australian emperor
- emperor fairywren
- emperor goose
- emperor moth
- emperor penguin
- emperor rat
- emperorship
- emperor tamarin
Related terms
- empire
- empress
- imperial
- imperialism
- imperially
Credits
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