baron

noun

bar·​on ˈber-ən 

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

Synonyms

• magnate
• tycoon
• king

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 diamond baron died on Saturday, Aug. 23, due to complications from a fall, his son, Leon, said, per The New York Times. —Charna Flam, People.com, 26 Aug. 2025

All but the very poorest can choose what to eat tonight from a buffet unimaginable to Louis XIV or a nineteenth century press baron. —Simon Boas july 23, Literary Hub, 23 July 2025

Both find themselves at odds with local cattle barons who hire the blackhearted gunfighter Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin) to prevent Stoddard’s attempts to earn statehood for the unnamed Western territory that serves as the film’s setting. —Keith Phipps, Vulture, 18 July 2025

Feeding their massive media empires, media barons like William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer competed for readership by printing sensationalist stories, gossip, and exaggerated claims. —Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 19 Aug. 2025

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

Phrases Containing baron

• robber baron

Rhymes for baron

• barren

Kids Definition

baron

noun

bar·​on ˈbar-ən 

1

: a member of the lowest rank of the British nobility

2

: a person of great power or influence

a cattle baron