Lord

See also: lord, LORD, Lords, and Lord's

English

Etymology

See lord.

In reference to the God of the Jewish Tanakh and Christian Bible, originally a translation (attested from the late Old English form hlāford) of the Vulgate Latin Dominus (“master of a house; lord”), translating the New Testament and the Septuagint's Ancient Greek ὁ κύριος or Κύριος (ó kýrios, "the supreme one; Lord, Kyrios"), both in reference to Hebrew אֲדֹנָי (ʾdny, "my lord; my Lord, Adonai") from אדון (ʾdwn, "lord, patron; Lord") + י- (-y, "my"), cognate with Phoenician 𐤀𐤃𐤍‎ (ʾdn, "lord; Lord, Adon"). Adonai appears in the Tanakh both directly and as a euphemism read aloud during occurrences of the Tetragrammaton יהוה‎ (YHWH, "I am what I am; Jehovah"). See the usage notes below. Displaced the earlier term drighten, Drighten.

Pronunciation

Proper noun

Lord (plural Lords)

  1. The Abrahamic deity of the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic faiths.
    1. (Judaism, Islam) The God of Abraham and the Jewish scriptures.
    2. (Christianity) God the Father; the Godhead.
  2. (Christianity) Jesus Christ, God the Son.
  3. (religion) Any other deity particularly important to a religion or a worshipper.

Usage notes

In monotheistic contexts (including Trinitarian Christianity), the term is used absolutely: "the Lord". In reference to Jesus, it is often expressed as "Our Lord" or "Our Lord and Savior". (Note, however, that Mormonism typically distinguishes "the Lord" as describing Jesus and "God" as describing Elohim, the God of Abraham.)

In many English Bibles, references in the Hebrew Tanakh to the names of God, Adonai and YHWH, are distinguished by capitalizing the former as "Lord" and the latter as "LORD", "lord", "Lord", etc. Similarly, "Lord God", "Lord GOD", etc. translate the dual form "Adonai YHWH". "Lord of Hosts" (etc.) translates the Hebrew name YHWH Sabaoth.

Derived terms

Translations

Interjection

Lord

  1. (originally an invocation) An interjection variously expressing astonishment, surprise, resignation.

Usage notes

Originally solemn, now typically invoked in trivial and profane use.

Derived terms

Noun

Lord (plural Lords)

  1. A formal title of the lesser British nobility, used as a shortened form for a Lord of the Manor and Lord Proprietor.
  2. A generic title used in reference to any peer of the British nobility or any peer below the dignity of duke and (as a courtesy title) for the younger sons of dukes and marquesses (see usage note).
  3. Similar formal and generic titles in other countries.
  4. An additional title added to denote the dignity of certain high officials, such as the "Lord Mayors" of major cities in the British Commonwealth
  5. The elected president of a festival.
  6. (Wicca) A high priest.

Usage notes

The title lord is usually understood as one borne by men and lady is its usual female equivalent. For example, King William IV of the United Kingdom was styled Lord of Mann and, upon his death, his niece Victoria was styled Lady of Mann. Modern usage is not always so clear, however, and "lord" may now refer to either male or female bearers of a title. For example, Queen Elizabeth II is presently styled "the Queen, Lord of Mann".

Lord is the formal title of only a few British nobles. It is, however, traditionally used as a title and form of address for all members of the British peerage, including the Lords Spiritual (the 26 bishops of the established Church of England). In present practice, dukes are instead styled "Your" or "His Grace" and the Lords Spiritual are usually styled "Lord Bishop". The younger sons of dukes and marquesses also bear the courtesy title of lord.

Derived terms
See also derived terms at lord.
  • (festival titles): Harvest Lord, Lord of Christmas, Lord of Misrule, Lord Muck, Summer Lord
  • (British titles): Civil Lord, Lords' Act, Lord Admiral, Lords of the Admiralty, Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, Lord High Admiral, Lord Advocate, Lords of the Articles, Lord Bishop, Lord Chamberlain, Lord Great Chamberlain of England, Lord Chancellor, Lord Clerk Register, Lords of the Congregation, Lords of the Daily Council, Lord Derby, Lord General, Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal, Lord High Constable, Lord of Ireland, Lords of the Judiciary, Lord Marcher, Lord Mayor, Lord of the Manor, Lords, Lords of Parliament, Lords of Police, Lord Probationer, Lord Proprietor, Lord-rector, Lord-rectorship, Lords of Regality, Lord Register, Lords of Session, Lords Spiritual, Lords Temporal, Lords of the Treasury, Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, Naval Lords
  • (direct address): his Lord, my Lord, my Lord of (London, Canterbury, etc.), my Lord Duke, my Lord Marquis, my Lord Mayor

Coordinate terms
  • (female, spouses) Lady
  • (dukes) Grace
  • (bishops) Lord Bishop

Translations
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Translations to be checked

References
  • Oxford English Dictionary, 1st ed. "lord, n." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1903.

German

Etymology

From English lord.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): [lɔʁt]
  • Hyphenation: Lord
  • Audio(file)

Noun

Lord m (genitive Lords, plural Lords)

  1. lord

Declension
Declension of Lord
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein der Lord die Lords
genitive eines des Lords der Lords
dative einem dem Lord den Lords
accusative einen den Lord die Lords

Further reading
  • Lord in Duden online
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