emperor

Alternative forms

• emperour (obsolete)

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French empereor (Modern French empereur), from Latin imperator (“emperor; commander”), from imperare (“to command”). Doublet of imperator.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɛmpəɹə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɛmpəɹɚ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

emperor (plural emperors)

1. The male monarch or ruler of an empire.

   Even an emperor is no match for a man with no wants. ― Sri Ramana Maharishi

2. (medieval political theory) Specifically, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire; the world-monarch.

   The Investiture Controversy was a conflict between the Emperor and the Pope.

3. The fourth trump or major arcana card of the tarot deck.
4. A large, relatively valuable marble in children's games.
   • 2001, Paul Webley, The economic psychology of everyday life, page 39:

     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 […]

5. Any fish of the family Lethrinidae.

Anagrams

• per orem