baron

Etymology

From Middle English baroun, in turn borrowed from Old French baron, Medieval Latin barō (not to be confused with classical bārō (“simpleton”)), possibly from Frankish *barō (“servant, man, warrior”), perhaps from *barô (“carrier”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to bear”). Possibly cognate with Old English beorn (“man, warrior”). Used in early Germanic law in the sense of homō (“man, human being”).

A Celtic origin has also been suggested, due to the occurrence of a Latin barones (“servos militum”) as early as the first century (Cornutus, On Persius' Fifth Satire). OED takes this hypothetical Proto-Celtic *bar- (“hero”) to be a figment.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈbæɹən/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈbɛɹən/
• Rhymes: -æɹən
• Homophone: barren

Noun

baron (plural barons)

1. The male ruler of a barony.
2. A male member of the lowest rank of English nobility (the equivalent rank in Scotland is lord).
3. A particular cut of beef, made up of a double sirloin.
   • 1851, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick, chapter 34

     Such portentous appetites had Queequeg and Tashtego, that to fill out the vacancies made by the previous repast, often the pale Dough-Boy was fain to bring on a great baron of salt-junk, seemingly quarried out of the solid ox.

4. A person of great power in society, especially in business and politics.

   “Robber baron” or “robber knight” is an historic term and title of disdain.

   • 2013 August 10, Lexington, “Keeping the mighty honest”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:

     British journalists shun complete respectability, feeling a duty to be ready to savage the mighty, or rummage through their bins. Elsewhere in Europe, government contracts and subsidies ensure that press barons will only defy the mighty so far.

5. (law, obsolete) A husband.

   baron and feme: husband and wife

References

• "baron n.", Oxford English Dictionary, Second edition, 1989; first published in New English Dictionary, 1885.

Anagrams

• Abron, Barno, Bonar, Borna, NORBA, Nabor, Rabon, aborn, bonar

Etymology

Readjustment from earlier baroen through French influence, from Middle Dutch baroen, from Old French baron, from Frankish *baro.

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔn

Noun

baron m (plural baronnen, diminutive baronnetje n, feminine barones)

1. baron

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbaron/
• Hyphenation: ba‧ron
• Rhymes: -aron

Noun

baron

1. accusative singular of baro

Etymology

From Middle French baron, from Old French baron, from or corresponding to Late Latin or Medieval Latin barō, barōnem, possibly from Frankish *baro (“freeman”) or of other Germanic origin; alternatively, of ultimately Celtic origin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba.ʁɔ̃/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔ̃

Noun

baron m (plural barons)

1. (dated) baron, lord, noble landowner

Further reading

• “baron” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• borna

Etymology 1

baru +‎ -an

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Dutch baron (“baron”).

Etymology

From Old French baron.

Noun

baron m (plural barons)

1. baron (nobleman)

Noun

baron m (plural barons)

1. Alternative form of bâron

Etymology

From Old Norse barrún, Old French baron and Old High German baro

Noun

baron m (definite singular baronen, indefinite plural baroner, definite plural baronene)

1. a baron

References

• “baron” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Etymology

From Old Norse barrún, Old French baron and Old High German baro

Noun

baron m (definite singular baronen, indefinite plural baronar, definite plural baronane)

1. a baron

References

• “baron” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Alternative forms

• baroun, barun, ber

Etymology

From or corresponding to Medieval Latin bārōnem, accusative singular of bārō, possibly from Frankish *baro (“freeman”) or of other Germanic origin; alternatively, ultimately of Celtic origin. The nominative form ber corresponds to the nominative barō.

Noun

baron m (oblique plural barons, nominative singular ber, nominative plural baron)

1. lord, baron (title of nobility)
2. (by extension) husband

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bǎroːn/
• Hyphenation: ba‧ron

Noun

bàrōn m (Cyrillic spelling ба̀ро̄н)

1. baron (title of nobility)

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

baron c (feminine: baronessa)

1. a baron, a ruler of a barony