lord

lord — noun

1. a man who belongs to the British nobility, either because he inherited a rank su

1.nounB2
Definition

a man who belongs to the British nobility, either because he inherited a rank such as duke, earl, or baron, or because the monarch gave him the title as a special honour.

Example

Lord Hampton inherited the estate when his father, the earl, passed away.

inherited title from a parent

Several lords gathered in the great hall to discuss the new trade laws.

Common collocations
  • lord of the manor
  • hereditary lord
  • feudal lord
  • landed lord
Synonyms
  • nobleman

    more general term for any male member of the nobility, not limited to Britain

  • peer

    strictly refers to a British noble with the right to sit in the House of Lords

  • landowner

    focuses on property ownership rather than title; less formal

  • baron

    the lowest rank of British peer, but sometimes used loosely for any peer

Antonyms
  • commoner

    a person who is not a member of the nobility

Grammar Patterns

lord + of + place

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 3 (TITLE): sense 1 refers to the person's social rank, not the honorific used before his name. A man 'becomes a lord' (sense 1) and is then addressed as 'Lord [surname]' (sense 3).

Common Mistakes

The lord of this company decided to retire.
The media mogul who owns this company decided to retire.
For a powerful business figure without a title, use 'tycoon,' 'magnate,' or 'mogul' rather than 'lord' (which implies nobility).

2. a man who holds great influence or control in a particular field, industry, or a

2.nounB2
Definition

a man who holds great influence or control in a particular field, industry, or area of activity — for example, the head of a criminal network or a tycoon who dominates a business sector.

Example

After years of hard work, Caio became a media lord with control over several newspapers.

lord of a specific industry

The police arrested the drug lord after a six-month investigation across three countries.

Common collocations
  • drug lord
  • media lord
  • crime lord
  • business lord
Synonyms
  • magnate

    more formal and strictly commercial; a business magnate owns large companies

  • tycoon

    suggests great wealth in a specific industry; less negative than 'lord'

  • baron

    used similarly (e.g. 'media baron'); slightly old-fashioned

  • kingpin

    informal; frequently used for criminal organisations

Grammar Patterns

lord + of + [field/industry]

Usage Note

When used as a metaphor for domination (drug lord, media lord, crime lord), the word carries a strong sense of unofficial or illicit power. Avoid using it for democratically elected leaders or public servants.

3. a formal title placed before the name of a British nobleman or a very senior off

3.nounB2
Definition

a formal title placed before the name of a British nobleman or a very senior office holder, such as a judge or bishop, indicating their rank.

Example

Lord Kitchener served as Secretary of State for War during the First World War.

title before a full name

When his uncle died without children, Jin inherited the title of Lord.

Common collocations
  • Lord + surname
  • title of Lord
  • Lord Mayor
  • Lord Chief Justice
Synonyms
  • sir

    lower rank than Lord; used with the given name (e.g. Sir Paul), not the surname

  • baron

    a specific rank within the peerage; all barons use 'Lord' as their title

Grammar Patterns

Lord + [full name / surname]

Usage Note

Always capitalise 'Lord' when it is used as a title before a name (e.g. 'Lord Byron', not 'lord Byron'). Unlike 'sir', 'Lord' is followed by the surname alone or the full name, never by the given name alone.

Common Mistakes

Lord John is coming to dinner.
Lord Russell is coming to dinner.
When using the title 'Lord', use the surname or full name, not the given name alone.

4. the senior chamber of the British Parliament. Its members — called peers — are n

4.nounB2
Definition

the senior chamber of the British Parliament. Its members — called peers — are not chosen in public elections; instead they inherit their seats or are appointed by the monarch for life.

Example

New laws must be approved by the House of Lords before they can take effect.

House of Lords as legislative body

The House of Lords debated the education bill for several hours yesterday.

Common collocations
  • House of Lords
  • the Lords
  • Lords reform
  • Lords committee
Synonyms
  • the upper house

    descriptive term for the less powerful chamber in a bicameral system

  • the peerage

    refers to the group of peers as a social class, not the parliamentary chamber

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

the Lords / the House of Lords

Usage Note

Frequently shortened to 'the Lords' in news headlines and informal speech. The full name 'House of Lords' is preferred in formal writing. Distinguish from 'House of Commons' (the elected lower house).

Common Mistakes

The House of Lords is elected every five years.
Members of the House of Lords are appointed or inherit their seats
they are not elected.' — Unlike the House of Commons, the Lords is not elected.

5. the formal way to address a British judge, bishop, or titled gentleman when talk

5.nounB2
Definition

the formal way to address a British judge, bishop, or titled gentleman when talking directly to them — for example, in court you would say 'my Lord' to the judge.

Example

"My Lord," said the lawyer, "I ask the court to consider the new evidence."

address to a judge in court

The barrister bowed and said, "If it pleases my Lord, I call my next witness."

Common collocations
  • my Lord
  • yes, my Lord
  • if it please my Lord
Synonyms
  • Your Honour

    used for lower-court judges in the UK and for judges in the US

  • Your Grace

    used when addressing a duke or an archbishop, not a baron or judge

Grammar Patterns

my Lord

Usage Note

Used only in direct address (when speaking TO the person), not when talking ABOUT them. In the British legal system, all High Court judges are addressed as 'my Lord' regardless of whether they hold a peerage title.

Common Mistakes

I met my Lord at the court yesterday.' (talking about the judge to a friend)
I met the judge at the court yesterday.
'My Lord' is used when speaking directly to the judge, not when referring to them in conversation.

6. the name or title used in Christianity for God the Father or for Jesus Christ as

6.nounB1
Definition

the name or title used in Christianity for God the Father or for Jesus Christ as the Son of God, expressing authority and worship.

Example

Christians around the world pray to the Lord for peace and guidance.

the Lord as object of prayer

The pastor read from the Bible: "Praise the Lord, O my soul."

Common collocations
  • the Lord
  • Lord Jesus
  • praise the Lord
  • O Lord
  • Lord God
Synonyms
  • God

    more general term for the supreme being in monotheistic religions

  • Almighty

    emphasises God's unlimited power; used in prayer and formal religious language

  • Father

    personal, familial term used especially in the New Testament and Christian prayer

Grammar Patterns

the Lord / Lord + [name] / O Lord

Usage Note

Always capitalised in Christian religious writing and speech. In prayers and hymns, the form 'O Lord' (with a capital O, no comma) is a traditional vocative. The definite article ('the Lord') is common when referring to God in general; 'Lord Jesus' or 'the Lord Jesus Christ' specifies Christ.

Common Mistakes

The lord answered my prayers.' (lowercase)
The Lord answered my prayers.
When referring to the Christian God, 'Lord' must be capitalised.
Idioms

(good) Lord! / Oh Lord!

idiom

an exclamation used to express surprise, shock, annoyance, or strong emotion — it is not a religious statement but a common interjection.

Good Lord! Is that the time? I'm going to miss my train.

Oh Lord, I forgot to buy milk again — I have to go back to the shop.

(as) drunk as a lord

idiom

Extremely drunk, to the point of being unable to control oneself.

After the party, Tom was as drunk as a lord and couldn't walk straight.

Is your uncle as drunk as a lord again at the wedding?

(good) Lord! | oh Lord!

idiom

An exclamation expressing surprise, annoyance, or worry.

Oh Lord, I forgot to lock the front door again!

Good Lord, did you see that car almost hit the cyclist?

Lord knows…

idiom

Used to strongly emphasize the truth of a statement.

Lord knows I have tried my best to help him.

Lord knows, this project has taken more time than expected.

year of grace | year of our Lord

idiom

A specific year counted from the birth of Jesus Christ.

The manuscript was written in the year of grace 1450.

In the year of our Lord 2020, the pandemic changed everything.

lord — verb

Word family

  • lordly
    adjectiveC1
  • lordship
    nounB2
  • overlord
    nounC2
  • landlord
    nounB1
  • lordosis
    noun

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words describe men of high social rank, but they differ in scope and technicality. 'Lord' is the most versatile: it can be a general term for any British male peer (duke, marquess, earl, viscount, or baron) and is also used as a title. 'Nobleman' is broader — it applies to any male member of the nobility in any country and focuses on social class rather than a specific legal rank. 'Peer' is a precise British term: a peer holds a title that entitles him to sit in the House of Lords. 'Baron' is the lowest rank of peerage, though all barons are addressed as 'Lord [surname]'. 'Aristocrat' is the most general and can refer to any member of the hereditary upper class, male or female, with or without a formal title. For example, you would say 'Lord Spencer inherited the estate' (specific title), but 'the nobleman rode through the village' (describes his class), and 'the aristocrat owned vast lands in several counties' (emphasises inherited privilege).

lord ↗nobleman ↗peer ↗baronaristocrat ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • lord and master
  • lord of the manor
  • the Lord's Prayer

Phrases

  • lord it over someone
  • (good) Lord!
  • Oh Lord!
  • the Lord Almighty

Prepositions

  • lord over (verb phrase)

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'lord' comes from Old English 'hlāford', which itself was a shortened form of 'hlāfweard' — literally 'bread-keeper' or 'loaf-ward'. In early medieval households, the lord was the person who provided food (bread) for those who lived and worked on his land. The first part, 'hlāf', is the ancestor of modern 'loaf', and 'weard' means 'guardian' or 'keeper' (related to modern 'ward'). Over time, the meaning broadened from household master to feudal landowner, then to the British peerage titles used today. The religious use (capitalised 'Lord' for God or Christ) entered English through Bible translations, following the same master–servant imagery found in Latin 'Dominus' and Greek 'Kyrios'.