baron

See also: Appendix:Variations of "baron"

English

Etymology

From 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.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈbæɹən/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) enPR: bă'rən
  • (without the Mary–marry–merry merger) IPA^(key): /ˈbæɹən/
  • (Mary–marry–merry merger) IPA^(key): /ˈbɛəɹən/
• Rhymes: -æɹən
• Homophone: barren

Noun

baron (plural barons)

1. The male ruler of a barony.
2. A male member of the lowest rank of English nobility (the equivalent rank in Scotland is lord).

   Coordinate terms: don, duke, earl, lord, prince, baronet

3. (by extension) A person of great power in society, especially in business and politics.

   Synonyms: magnate, tycoon; see also Thesaurus:important person

   • c. 1948, George Orwell, Such, Such Were the Joys:

     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.

   • 2013 August 10, Lexington, “Keeping the mighty honest”, in The Economist‎^[1], volume 408, number 8848:

     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 press barons will only defy the mighty so far.

4. (UK, prison slang) A prisoner who gains power and influence by lending or selling goods such as tobacco.
   • 1960, Hugh J. Klare, Anatomy of Prison, page 33:

     The first thing a baron does is to accumulate a supply of tobacco. He spends every penny he can earn on laying it in […]

   • 1961, Peter Baker, Time out of life, page 51:

     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' thrived. Barons are prisoners who lend tobacco.

   • 1980, Leonard Michaels, Christopher Ricks, The State of the Language, page 525:

     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 may expensively be borrowed or bought from a baron, possibly through his runner.

5. A baron of beef, a cut made up of a double sirloin.
   • 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “chapter 34”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:

     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 quarried out of the solid ox.

6. Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the genus Euthalia.
7. (law, obsolete) A husband.

   Coordinate term: wife

   baron and femme ― husband and wife

Derived terms

• baron and femme
• baron-bailie
• baron court
• baronic
• baronize
• baronry
• baronship
• barony
• beer baron
• booze baron
• court-baron
• court baron
• covert baron
• drug baron
• oil baron
• porn baron
• robber-baron
• robber baron
• tech baron

 

Related terms

• baroness
• baronetcy
• baronial
• baronne

Translations

male ruler of a barony

• Albanian: arhond m
• Arabic: بارون m (bārōn)
• Armenian: բարոն (hy) (baron)
• Asturian: barón (ast) m
• Azerbaijani: baron
• Bulgarian: баро́н m (barón)
• Catalan: baró (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 男爵 (zh) (nánjué)

• Czech: baron (cs) m
• Danish: baron (da) c
• Dutch: baron (nl) m
• Esperanto: barono (eo)
• Estonian: parun, vabahärra
• Faroese: barónur m
• Finnish: vapaaherra (fi), paroni (fi)
• French: baron (fr) m
• Galician: barón (gl) m
• German: Baron (de) m, Freiherr (de) m
• Greek: βαρόνος (el) m (varónos)
• Hawaiian: pālona, barona
• Hungarian: báró (hu)
• Icelandic: barón m
• Ido: barono (io), baronulo (io)
• Ingrian: baroni
• Irish: barún m, barúin m pl
• Italian: barone (it) m
• Japanese: 男爵 (ja) (だんしゃく, danshaku)
• Khmer: ឃុន (km) (kʰun)
• Korean: 남작 (ko) (namjak)
• Latin: (Medieval) barō m
• Latvian: barons, brīvkungs m
• Lithuanian: baronas (lt) m
• Macedonian: барон m (baron)
• Manchu: ᠠᠰᡥᠠᠨ ᡳ
  ᡥᠠᡶᠠᠨ (ashan-i hafan)
• Maori: parena
• Marathi: बॅरन m (bĕran)
• Norman: bâron m
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: baron (no) m

  Nynorsk: baron m

• Old English: þeġn m
• Ottoman Turkish: بارون (baron)
• Persian: بارون (fa) (bâron)
• Polish: baron (pl) m
• Portuguese: barão (pt) m
• Russian: баро́н (ru) m (barón)
• Sicilian: baruni m
• Slovene: baron m
• Spanish: barón (es) m
• Swedish: baron (sv) c
• Thai: แบรอน, บารอน
• Turkish: baron (tr)
• Uzbek: baron (uz)
• Vietnamese: nam tước (vi)
• Volapük: baonan (vo)
• Yiddish: באַראָן m (baron)

person of power and influence

• Macedonian: властелин m (vlastelin)
• Polish: baron (pl) m

References

• "baron n.", Oxford English Dictionary, Second edition, 1989; first published in New English Dictionary, 1885.

Anagrams

• NORBA, aborn, Nabor, Bonar, Barno, Borna, Orban, Abron, Rabon, bonar, Arbon

Azerbaijani

Etymology

Borrowed from Russian барон (baron).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [bɑˈron]
• Hyphenation: ba‧ron

Noun

baron (definite accusative baronu, plural baronlar)

1. baron

Declension

Declension of baron
	singular	plural
nominative	baron	baronlar
definite accusative	baronu	baronları
dative	barona	baronlara
locative	baronda	baronlarda
ablative	barondan	baronlardan
definite genitive	baronun	baronların

Possessive forms of baron
	nominative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	baronum	baronlarım
sənin (“your”)	baronun	baronların
onun (“his/her/its”)	baronu	baronları
bizim (“our”)	baronumuz	baronlarımız
sizin (“your”)	baronunuz	baronlarınız
onların (“their”)	baronu or baronları	baronları
	accusative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	baronumu	baronlarımı
sənin (“your”)	baronunu	baronlarını
onun (“his/her/its”)	baronunu	baronlarını
bizim (“our”)	baronumuzu	baronlarımızı
sizin (“your”)	baronunuzu	baronlarınızı
onların (“their”)	baronunu or baronlarını	baronlarını
	dative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	baronuma	baronlarıma
sənin (“your”)	baronuna	baronlarına
onun (“his/her/its”)	baronuna	baronlarına
bizim (“our”)	baronumuza	baronlarımıza
sizin (“your”)	baronunuza	baronlarınıza
onların (“their”)	baronuna or baronlarına	baronlarına
	locative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	baronumda	baronlarımda
sənin (“your”)	baronunda	baronlarında
onun (“his/her/its”)	baronunda	baronlarında
bizim (“our”)	baronumuzda	baronlarımızda
sizin (“your”)	baronunuzda	baronlarınızda
onların (“their”)	baronunda or baronlarında	baronlarında
	ablative
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	baronumdan	baronlarımdan
sənin (“your”)	baronundan	baronlarından
onun (“his/her/its”)	baronundan	baronlarından
bizim (“our”)	baronumuzdan	baronlarımızdan
sizin (“your”)	baronunuzdan	baronlarınızdan
onların (“their”)	baronundan or baronlarından	baronlarından
	genitive
	singular	plural
mənim (“my”)	baronumun	baronlarımın
sənin (“your”)	baronunun	baronlarının
onun (“his/her/its”)	baronunun	baronlarının
bizim (“our”)	baronumuzun	baronlarımızın
sizin (“your”)	baronunuzun	baronlarınızın
onların (“their”)	baronunun or baronlarının	baronlarının

Further reading

• “baron” in Obastan.com.

Danish

Etymology

From Old Norse barún, from Old French baron.

Noun

baron c (singular definite baronen, plural indefinite baroner)

1. baron (a nobleman, in Denmark since 1849 without privileges)

Inflection

Declension of baron

common gender	Singular		Plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	baron	baronen	baroner	baronerne
genitive	barons	baronens	baroners	baronernes

Derived terms

• baroni

Related terms

• baronesse

References

• “baron” in Den Danske Ordbog

Dutch

Etymology

Readjustment from earlier baroen through modern French influence, from Middle Dutch baroen, from Old French baron.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baːˈrɔn/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ba‧ron
• Rhymes: -ɔn

Noun

baron m (plural baronnen, diminutive baronnetje n, feminine barones)

1. baron, a specific aristocratic title
2. a magnate, especially a wealthy and influential (industrial) entrepreneur

Derived terms

• barones
• oliebaron
• suikerbaron
• textielbaron

Related terms

• baronie

Descendants

• → Indonesian: baron
• → Javanese: ꦧꦫꦺꦴꦤ꧀ (baron)

Esperanto

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbaron]
• Rhymes: -aron
• Hyphenation: ba‧ron

Noun

baron

1. accusative singular of baro

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French baron, from Old French baron, from Latin barōnem.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ba.ʁɔ̃/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔ̃

Noun

baron m (plural barons, feminine baronne)

1. baron, lord, noble landowner

Descendants

• Haitian Creole: baron
• → Arabic: بارون (bārōn)
• → Hungarian: báró
• → Polish: baron
• → Ottoman Turkish: بارون (baron)
  • Turkish: baron
• → Persian: بارون (bâron)
• → Romanian: baron
• → Russian: баро́н (barón)
  • → Armenian: բարոն (baron)
  • → Azerbaijani: baron
  • → Georgian: ბარონი (baroni)
  • → Ingrian: baroni
  • → Uzbek: baron

Further reading

• “baron”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• borna

Indonesian

Etymology

Borrowed from Dutch baron.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbarɔn]
• Rhymes: -rɔn, -ɔn, -n
• Hyphenation: ba‧ron

Noun

baron (first-person possessive baronku, second-person possessive baronmu, third-person possessive baronnya)

1. baron: the male ruler of a barony; a title for European noblemen.

Further reading

• “baron” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

Javanese

Romanization

baron

1. Romanization of ꦧꦫꦺꦴꦤ꧀

Middle English

Etymology 1

Adjective

baron

1. Alternative form of bareyne

Etymology 2

Noun

baron

1. Alternative form of baroun

Middle French

Etymology

Inherited from Old French baron.

Noun

baron m (plural barons)

1. baron (nobleman)

Descendants

• French: baron
  • Haitian Creole: baron
  • → Arabic: بارون (bārōn)
  • → Hungarian: báró
  • → Polish: baron
  • → Ottoman Turkish: بارون (baron)
    • Turkish: baron
  • → Persian: بارون (bâron)
  • → Romanian: baron
  • → Russian: баро́н (barón)
    • → Armenian: բարոն (baron)
    • → Azerbaijani: baron
    • → Georgian: ბარონი (baroni)
    • → Ingrian: baroni
    • → Uzbek: baron

Norman

Noun

baron m (plural barons)

1. Alternative form of bâron

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Old Norse barún, from Old French baron.

Noun

baron m (definite singular baronen, indefinite plural baroner, definite plural baronene)

1. a baron

Related terms

• baronesse

References

• “baron” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse barún, from Old French baron.

Noun

baron m (definite singular baronen, indefinite plural baronar, definite plural baronane)

1. a baron

Related terms

• baronesse

References

• “baron” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old Dutch

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *baʀōn, from Proto-Germanic *bazōną. Equivalent to bar +‎ -on.

Verb

baron

1. to reveal, to make public

Inflection

Conjugation of baron (weak class 2)

infinitive	baron
indicative	present	past
1st person singular	baro, baron	baroda
2nd person singular	baros, barost	barodos
3rd person singular	barot	baroda
1st person plural	baron	barodun
2nd person plural	barot	barodut
3rd person plural	baront	barodun
subjunctive	present	past
1st person singular	baro	barodi
2nd person singular	baros, barost	barodis
3rd person singular	baro	barodi
1st person plural	baron	barodin
2nd person plural	barot	barodit
3rd person plural	baron	barodin
imperative	present
singular	baro
plural	barot
participle	present	past
	barondi	barot, gibarot

Descendants

• Middle Dutch: bāren
  • Dutch: baren

Further reading

• “baron”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Old French

Alternative forms

• baroun, barun

Etymology

Inherited from Latin barōnem.

The nominative singular ber is a regular outcome of the Latin nominative barō.

Noun

baron oblique singular, m (oblique plural barons, nominative singular ber, nominative plural baron)

1. baron (title of nobility)
2. husband

   Synonym: mari

Descendants

• Middle French: baron (see there for further descendants)
• Norman: bâron
• Picard: barôn
• Walloon: baron
• → Italian: barone
• → Middle Armenian: պարոն (paron)
  • Armenian: պարոն (paron)
• → Middle Dutch: baroen
  • Dutch: baron (readjusted per French)
• → Middle English: baroun, baron, barone, baroon, barown, barowne, barun, beron
  • English: baron
  • Scots: baron
• → Middle Irish: barún
  • Irish: barún
• → Middle Low German: barōn
• → Middle High German: barūn, barōne
  • German: Baron (see there for further descendants)
• →? Old Galician-Portuguese:
  • Galician: barón
  • Portuguese: barão
• → Old Norse: barún
  • Icelandic: barón
  • Norwegian: baron
  • Swedish: baron
  • Danish: baron
• → Old Spanish: baron (partially)
  • Spanish: barón
• → Sicilian: baruni

Old Galician-Portuguese

Alternative forms

• varon

Etymology

Inherited from Latin barōnem.

Noun

baron m (plural barões)

1. man (adult male human)

   Synonym: home

   • 13th c, A. López Ferreiro, editor, Fueros Municipales de Santiago y de su tierra, page 699:

     aquel pecado escumungado que fazen os barones unos con outros

     that excommunicated sin that men do with one another

   • c. 1295, Ramón Lorenzo, editor, La traducción gallega de la Crónica General y de la Crónica de Castilla, Ourense: I.E.O.P.F, page 814:

     ca esta (he) muy boa et nobre rreyna dona Berĩguela co[m] tamana aguça gardou sempre este fillo et llj meteu no curaçõ feyto de obras de piedade de ome barõ, mãçebo et nino, et todo linagẽ de omes -esto he barõ et moller-

     because this very noble and excellent queen, Lady Berenguela, with great care protected her son and put in his heart acts of piety of adult man, young man and boy, and of all the lineage of men - that is, man and woman -

Descendants

• Galician: varón
• Portuguese: varão

Further reading

• Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, Ana Isabel Boullón Agrelo (2006–2022) “baron”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Xavier Varela Barreiro, Xavier Gómez Guinovart (2006–2018) “baron”, in Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: ILG

Old Spanish

Alternative forms

• varon

Etymology

Inherited from Latin barōnem. Sense 3 taken from the Old French cognate baron. Coromines considers the more general sense 2, which is attested earlier, to be indigenous.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈɾon/

Noun

baron m

1. man
   • c. 1200, La Fazienda de Ultramar, fol 6r

     Los de ysmael vendieron a ioseph a furtifar el egypcio de pharaon conestable. en essa ora, exio iuda asos ermanos e vna mugier, fija de un baron de Canaan

     The people of Ishmael sold Joseph to Potiphar the Egyptian Pharaoh's Constable. At that time, Juda departed to his brothers and a woman, the daughter of a man of Canaan.

2. nobleman
3. baron

Descendants

• Spanish: varón, barón

References

• Joan Coromines, José A[ntonio] Pascual (1984) “barón”, in Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico [Critic Castilian and Hispanic Etymological Dictionary] (in Spanish), volume I (A–Ca), Madrid: Gredos, →ISBN, page 514

Polish

Etymology

Borrowed from French baron.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈba.rɔn/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -arɔn
• Syllabification: ba‧ron

Noun

baron m pers (female equivalent baronessa, diminutive baronek)

1. (historical) baron, lord (male ruler of a barony)

Noun

baron m pers

1. (figurative) baron, lord (person of great power in society, especially in business and politics)

   Synonym: potentat

Declension

Declension of baron

	singular	plural
nominative	baron	baronowie/baroni
genitive	barona	baronów
dative	baronowi	baronom
accusative	barona	baronów
instrumental	baronem	baronami
locative	baronie	baronach
vocative	baronie	baronowie/baroni

Derived terms

adjectives

• baronowski
• baroński

 

nouns

• baronat
• baronek
• baronet
• baronia
• baronostwo
• baronowa
• baronówna
• baroństwo

 

Further reading

• baron in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• baron in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French baron.

Noun

baron m (plural baroni)

1. baron

Declension

	singular			plural
	indefinite	definite		indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	baron	baronul		baroni	baronii
genitive-dative	baron	baronului		baroni	baronilor
vocative	baronule			baronilor

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Derived from Old French baron.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bǎroːn/
• Hyphenation: ba‧ron

Noun

bàrōn m (Cyrillic spelling ба̀ро̄н)

1. baron (title of nobility)

Swedish

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French baron.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

baron c (feminine: baronessa)

1. a baron, a ruler of a barony

Declension

Declension of baron

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	baron	barons
	definite	baronen	baronens
plural	indefinite	baroner	baroners
	definite	baronerna	baronernas

Further reading

• baron in Svenska Akademiens ordböcker
• baron in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)

Anagrams

• banor, bonar, borna, nabor

Tagalog

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish barón.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /baˈɾon/ [bɐˈɾon̪]
• Rhymes: -on
• Syllabification: ba‧ron

Noun

barón (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜇᜓᜈ᜔)

1. baron (title of nobility)

Turkish

Etymology

Inherited from Ottoman Turkish بارون (baron), from French baron.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baˈɾon/
• Hyphenation: ba‧ron

Noun

baron (definite accusative baronu, plural baronlar)

1. baron (title of nobility in Europe between knight and viscount)

Declension

Inflection
Nominative	baron
Definite accusative	baronu
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	baron	baronlar
Definite accusative	baronu	baronları
Dative	barona	baronlara
Locative	baronda	baronlarda
Ablative	barondan	baronlardan
Genitive	baronun	baronların
Predicative forms Singular Plural 1st singular baronum baronlarım 2nd singular baronsun baronlarsın 3rd singular baron barondur baronlar baronlardır 1st plural baronuz baronlarız 2nd plural baronsunuz baronlarsınız 3rd plural baronlar baronlardır

Derived terms

• baronluk

 

Related terms

• kont
• lord
• şövalye

 

Further reading

• “baron”, in Turkish dictionaries, Türk Dil Kurumu
• Çağbayır, Yaşar (2007) “baron”, in Ötüken Türkçe Sözlük (in Turkish), Istanbul: Ötüken Neşriyat, page 472

Uzbek

Etymology

Borrowed from Russian барон (baron).

Noun

baron (plural baronlar)

1. baron

Declension

Declension of baron

	singular	plural
nominative	baron	baronlar
genitive	baronning	baronlarning
dative	baronga	baronlarga
definite accusative	baronni	baronlarni
locative	baronda	baronlarda
ablative	barondan	baronlardan
similative	barondek	baronlardek

Possessive forms of baron

my	singular	plural
nominative	baronim	baronlarim
genitive	baronimning	baronlarimning
dative	baronimga	baronlarimga
definite accusative	baronimni	baronlarimni
locative	baronimda	baronlarimda
ablative	baronimdan	baronlarimdan
similative	baronimdek	baronlarimdek
your	singular	plural
nominative	baroning	baronlaring
genitive	baroningning	baronlaringning
dative	baroningga	baronlaringga
definite accusative	baroningni	baronlaringni
locative	baroningda	baronlaringda
ablative	baroningdan	baronlaringdan
similative	baroningdek	baronlaringdek
her/his/its	singular	plural
nominative	baroni	baronlari
genitive	baronining	baronlarining
dative	baroniga	baronlariga
definite accusative	baronini	baronlarini
locative	baronida	baronlarida
ablative	baronidan	baronlaridan
similative	baronidek	baronlaridek
our	singular	plural
nominative	baronimiz	baronlarimiz
genitive	baronimizning	baronlarimizning
dative	baronimizga	baronlarimizga
definite accusative	baronimizni	baronlarimizni
locative	baronimizda	baronlarimizda
ablative	baronimizdan	baronlarimizdan
similative	baronimizdek	baronlarimizdek
your	singular	plural
nominative	baroningiz	baronlaringiz
genitive	baroningizning	baronlaringizning
dative	baroningizga	baronlaringizga
definite accusative	baroningizni	baronlaringizni
locative	baroningizda	baronlaringizda
ablative	baroningizdan	baronlaringizdan
similative	baroningizdek	baronlaringizdek
their	singular	plural
nominative	baroni	baronlari
genitive	baronining	baronlarining
dative	baroniga	baronlariga
definite accusative	baronini	baronlarini
locative	baronida	baronlarida
ablative	baronidan	baronlaridan	similative	baronidek	baronlaridek