overlord

UK/ˈəʊvə(ɹ)lɔː(ɹ)d/<q:noun>US/ˈəʊvə(ɹ)lɔː(ɹ)d/<q:noun>

nounC1Occasional — familiar, but not everyday · #11,199 of 15,258leans written

Other forms: overlords

An overlord is the supreme master in a feudal chain. Answer to an overlord.

Every lord held land from somebody above, and the overlord was at the top of that chain. The word is now used half in joke about anybody in charge of everything.

Definitions of overlord

1nounoverlordThe supreme master in a feudal chain, to whom lesser nobles owe their lands and their loyalty.C1
“Every knight in the county held his land from one overlord.”

overlord is a ruler.

Where it comes from

Middle English over plus lord, describing the lord above your own.

Middle English
oferrlaferrd
English, today
overlord

From Middle English oferrlaferrd, orlard, our-lord, ouyr-lord, equivalent to over + lord.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

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