Lord

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See also: lord and LORD

English[edit]

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia
 Lord (surname) on Wikipedia

Etymology[edit]

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.

Pronunciation[edit]

Proper noun[edit]

Lord (countable and uncountable, plural Lords)

  1. The Abrahamic deity of the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic faiths.
    • 1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The life and death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], line 53:
      The breath of worldly men cannot depose,
      The deputy elected by the Lord.
    • 2017, Raymond Grant, Dialogue with Deity: Genesis and Jesus, →ISBN:
      Their act emphasized their acceptance of Islam as their new allegiance and the forsaking of the true and Living God, Jehovah (the LORD), with devotion to the moon god idol Allah.
      Abram was given a new name, as well, by the LORD.
    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.
    • 2002, A.J. Drew, Wicca for Couples: Making Magick Together‎[1], page 89:
      ...and our Lord [the Horned God] as Master, Father, and Sage.
  4. An English surname transferred from the nickname, originally a nickname for someone who either acted as if he were a lord or had worked in a lord's household.

Usage notes[edit]

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 name of God (YHWH) or the title Adonai, 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;" and "Lord of Hosts" (etc.) translates the form YHWH Sabaoth.

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

Interjection[edit]

Lord

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

Usage notes[edit]

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

Derived terms[edit]

Noun[edit]

Lord (plural Lords)

  1. A formal title of the lesser British nobility, used for a lord of the manor or 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[edit]

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 was 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". In Scotland, the title Lord of Parliament, often shortened to Lord, is used instead of Baron. The younger sons of dukes and marquesses also bear the courtesy title of lord.

Coordinate terms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

See also derived terms at lord.

Related terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

References[edit]

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

German[edit]

Etymology[edit]

17th century, from English lord.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /lɔrt/, [lɔʁt], [lɔɐ̯t], [lɔːt]
  • Audio(file)
  • Hyphenation: Lord

Noun[edit]

Lord m (strong, genitive Lords, plural Lords or (dated) Lorde, feminine Lady)

  1. lord, Lord (British nobleman)

Declension[edit]

Declension of Lord [masculine, strong]
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein der Lord die Lords, Lorde1
genitive eines des Lords der Lords, Lorde1
dative einem dem Lord den Lords, Lorden1
accusative einen den Lord die Lords, Lorde1

1Dated.

Further reading[edit]

  • “Lord” in Duden online
  • “Lord” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache

Middle English[edit]

Proper noun[edit]

Lord

  1. Lord: the Abrahamic deity of the Jewish and Christian faiths
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