Lord

UK: 'lord', 'Lord': /ˈlɔːd/ US: /lɔrd/ ,(lôrd)

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Lord / lɔːd/ noun

1. a title given to God or Jesus Christ
2. a title given to men of high birth, specifically to an earl, marquess, baron, or viscount
3. a courtesy title given to the younger sons of a duke or marquess
4. the ceremonial title of certain high officials or of a bishop or archbishop: Lord Mayor, Lord of Appeal, Law Lord, Lord Bishop of Durham

interjection

1. (sometimes not capital) an exclamation of dismay, surprise, etc: Good Lord!, Lord only knows!

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

lord /lɔrd/   n. 

1. [countable] a person who has authority, control, or power over others;
   master or ruler.
2. Government [countable] a nobleman or peer.
3. Government [proper noun* Lord] (in Great Britain)
   • the title of certain high officials:
     Lord Mayor of London.
   • the formally polite title of a bishop:
     Lord Bishop of Durham.
4. Religion [proper noun* Lord] the Supreme Being;
   God.
5. Religion [proper noun* Lord] Jesus Christ.

interj. 

6. This word is sometimes used to express surprise, delight, dismay, etc.:
   [often: Lord] Lord, what a beautiful day!

v., Idiom.

7. lord it over, [~ + object] to behave arrogantly toward (someone):
   to lord it over one's friends with one's new wealth.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

lord  (lôrd), n. 

1. a person who has authority, control, or power over others;
   a master, chief, or ruler.
2. a person who exercises authority from property rights;
   an owner of land, houses, etc.
3. a person who is a leader or has great influence in a chosen profession:
   the great lords of banking.
4. World History a feudal superior;
   the proprietor of a manor.
5. Government a titled nobleman or peer;
   a person whose ordinary appellation contains by courtesy the title Lord or some higher title.
6. Government Lords, the Lords Spiritual and Lords Temporal comprising the House of Lords.
7. Government (cap.) (in Britain)
   • the title of certain high officials (used with some other title, name, or the like):
     Lord Mayor of London.
   • the formally polite title of a bishop:
     Lord Bishop of Durham.
   • the title informally substituted for marquis, earl, viscount, etc., as in the use of Lord Kitchener for Earl Kitchener.
8. Religion (cap.) the Supreme Being;
   God;
   Jehovah.
9. Religion (cap.) the Savior, Jesus Christ.
10. Astrology a planet having dominating influence.

interj. 

11. (often cap.) (used in exclamatory phrases to express surprise, elation, etc.):
    Lord, what a beautiful day!

v. 

12. Idioms lord it, to assume airs of importance and authority;
    behave arrogantly or dictatorially;
    domineer:
    to lord it over the menial workers.

• Middle English lord, loverd, Old English hlāford, hlāfweard literally, loaf-keeper. See loaf¹, ward bef. 900

lord′like′, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

lord / lɔːd/ noun

1. a person who has power or authority over others, such as a monarch or master
2. a male member of the nobility, esp in Britain
3. (in medieval Europe) a feudal superior, esp the master of a manor
   Compare lady5
4. a husband considered as head of the household (archaic except in the facetious phrase lord and master)
5. a planet having a dominating influence
6. my lord ⇒ a respectful form of address used to a judge, bishop, or nobleman

verb

1. (transitive) to make a lord of (a person)
2. to act in a superior manner towards (esp in the phrase lord it over)

Etymology: Old English hlāford bread keeper; see loaf¹, ward

ˈlordless adjective

ˈlordˌlike adjective