/ˈbæɹən/, /ˈbæɹən/, /ˈbɛəɹən/
OriginFrom Middle English baroun, from Old French baron, from Latin barōnem, from Proto-West Germanic *barō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to bear”). Cognate with Old High German *baro (“human being, man, freeman”), Old English bora (“a man who bears responsibility, one who is in charge, a ruler”), and perhaps to Old English beorn (“man, warrior”). Used in early Germanic law in the sense of "man, human being".
A Celtic origin has also been suggested; see the quote under sense 3 of Latin barō. However, the OED takes the hypothetical Proto-Celtic *bar- (“hero”) to be a figment.
- The male ruler of a barony.
- A male member of the lowest rank of English nobility (the equivalent rank in Scotland is lord).
- broadlyA person of great power in society, especially in business and politics.
“There were a few exotics among them — some South American boys, sons of Argentine beef barons, one or two Russians, and even a Siamese prince, or someone who was described as a prince.”
“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 pr”
- UK, slangA prisoner who gains power and influence by lending or selling goods such as tobacco.
“The first thing a baron does is to accumulate a supply of tobacco. He spends every penny he can earn on laying it in […]”
“Nevertheless, from my own agonies of the first few months, after which I did not miss smoking at all, I could appreciate the need of others. It was in this atmosphere of craving that the 'barons' thri”
“In British prisons tobacco still remains the gold standard which is made to back every transaction and promise. The official allowance is barely sufficient for individual smoking needs, but tobacco ma”
- A baron of beef, a cut made up of a double sirloin.
“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 qua”
- Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the genus Euthalia.
- obsoleteA husband.
“baron and femme” — husband and wife
- A surname from French
- A surname from German
- A surname from Polish
- A surname from Ukrainian
Formsbarons(plural)
Source: Wiktionary