English

Proper noun

Lord ‎(plural Lords)

1. (Judaism, Islam) The God of Abraham and the Jewish scriptures, (Christianity) God the Father; the Godhead.
   • c. 1000, Ælfric, Homilies, II.562:

     Sy lof þam Hlaforde ðe leofað on ecnysse.

   • c. 1175, Lambeth Homilies, 71:

     Lauerd god we biddeð þus.

   • 1382, Wycliffe's Bible, 1 Kings xviii. 36:

     Lord God of Abraham, and of Ysaac, and of Yrael.

   • 1597, William Shakespeare, The life and death of King Richard the Second, iii.ii.53:

     The breath of worldly men cannot depose,

     The deputy elected by the Lord.

2. (Christianity) Jesus Christ, God the Son.
   • a. 1175, Cotton Homilies, 243:

     Ure laford ihesu crist þe seið Sine me nichil potestis facere.

   • c. 1400, Lay Folks Mass, Bk. App. iii. 125:

     Þou art a sooþfaste leche, lord.

   • 1582, Douay–Rheims Bible, 1 Corinth. 12:3:

     Therfore I doe you to vnderſtand that no má ſpeaking in the Spirit of God, ſaith anáthema to IESVS. And no man can ſay, Our Lord IESVS: but in the holy Ghoſt.

   • 1882, Alfred Tennyson, "In Memoriam W. G. Ward":

     How loyal in the following of thy Lord!

3. (religion) Any other deity particularly important to a religion or a worshipper.
   • 2002, A.J. Drew, Wicca for Couples: Making Magick Together, page 89:

     ...and our Lord [the Horned God] as Master, Father, and Sage.

Usage notes

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 names of God, Adonai and YHWH, 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". "Lord of Hosts" (etc.) translates the Hebrew name YHWH Sabaoth.

Derived terms

• (God): Lord of Hosts, Lord's Day, Lord knows, Lord only knows (see also use as an injection below)
• (Christ): in the year of our Lord, in the year of our Lord's incarnation, Lord's Prayer, Lord's Supper, Lord's table, Lord's Table, our Lord
• (other deities): Lord of the Flies

Translations

Interjection

Lord

1. (originally an invocation) An interjection variously expressing astonishment, surprise, resignation.
   • c. 1384, John Wyclif, Selected Works, III.358:

     Lord! in tyme of Jesus Crist... were men not bounden to shryve hem þus.

   • c. 1400, Lanfranc of Milan, Practica (trans. as The Science of Chirgurie), 298:

     O lord, whi is it so greet difference betwix a cirurgian & a phisician.

   • c. 1595, William Shakespeare, The Comedie of Errors (1623), iii. i. 50:

     O Lord I must laugh.

Usage notes

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

Derived terms

• Lor', lud
• Lord have mercy, Lord-a-mercy, lordy
• O Lord, oh Lord, dear Lord, my Lord, good Lord
• (British, dialectal) Lawk, lauk, lawks
• (British, dialectal) Lord bless me, Lord lumme, Lor' lumme

Noun

Lord ‎(plural Lords)

1. A formal title of the lesser British nobility, used as a shortened form for a Lord of the Manor and 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).
   • 1893, Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan, i.1:

     How do you do, Lord Darlington?

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

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 is presently 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". The younger sons of dukes and marquesses also bear the courtesy title of lord.

Derived terms

See also derived terms at lord.

• (festival titles): Harvest Lord, Lord of Christmas, Lord of Misrule, Lord Muck, Summer Lord
• (British titles): Civil Lord, Lords' Act, Lord Admiral, Lords of the Admiralty, Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, Lord High Admiral, Lord Advocate, Lords of the Articles, Lord Bishop, Lord Chamberlain, Lord Great Chamberlain of England, Lord Chancellor, Lord Clerk Register, Lords of the Congregation, Lords of the Daily Council, Lord Derby, Lord General, Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal, Lord High Constable, Lord of Ireland, Lords of the Judiciary, Lord Marcher, Lord Mayor, Lord of the Manor, Lords, Lords of Parliament, Lords of Police, Lord Probationer, Lord Proprietor, Lord-rector, Lord-rectorship, Lords of Regality, Lord Register, Lords of Session, Lords Spiritual, Lords Temporal, Lords of the Treasury, Lords Commissioners of the Treasury, Naval Lords
• (direct address): his Lord, my Lord, my Lord of (London, Canterbury, etc.), my Lord Duke, my Lord Marquis, my Lord Mayor

Related terms

• laird

Coordinate terms

• (female, spouses) Lady
• (dukes) Grace
• (bishops) Lord Bishop

Translations

Statistics

References

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