baron

noun

bar·​on ˈber-ən How to pronounce baron (audio)
ˈba-rən
1
a
: one of a class of tenants holding his rights and title by military or other honorable service directly from a feudal superior (such as a king)
b
: a lord of the realm : noble, peer
2
a
: a member of the lowest grade of the peerage in Great Britain
b
: a nobleman on the continent of Europe of varying rank
c
: a member of the lowest order of nobility in Japan
3
: a joint of meat consisting of two sirloins or loins and legs not cut apart at the backbone
a baron of beef
4
: a man who possesses great power or influence in some field of activity
a cattle baron

Examples of baron in a Sentence

a media baron who owns newspapers, television and radio stations, and even several cable networks
Recent Examples on the Web The château dates back to 1698 and was built by the baron and military governor of Maastricht, Daniël Wolf van Dopff. Michelle Gross, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2024 Heini’s father, Heinrich Thyssen, moved to Hungary and married the daughter of a baron, who had no sons of his own and adopted Heinrich. Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2024 Former casino baron Stanley Ho and property tycoon Lo Ying Shek are just two examples. Shawna Kwan, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2023 Horror baron Alexandre Aja's divisive entry in the New French Extremism movement follows best friends Alex (Maïwenn) and Marie (Cécile de France) on a weekend getaway to the country. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 23 Oct. 2023 The greatest of the tip-trust barons, known as the Hatcheck King, brought in the equivalent of sixty million dollars a year. Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2023 The gentry of new technologies have displaced the industrial and media barons of an earlier age, but the new hierarchies are still in flux. Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2024 The Collier family, descendants of the land baron who owned much of the real estate in the county that bears his name, has agreed to sell much of its vast holdings of mineral rights within the preserve to the federal government — for the right price. Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2024 Imperial’s thirsty farm barons sucked up 787 billion gallons of Colorado River water last year, more than anyone else in the West. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'baron.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German baro freeman

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of baron was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near baron

Cite this Entry

“Baron.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/baron. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

baron

noun
bar·​on ˈbar-ən How to pronounce baron (audio)
1
: a member of the lowest rank of the British nobility
2
: a person of great power or influence
a cattle baron

More from Merriam-Webster on baron

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