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 of baron

• 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

In 1912, voters banned corporate campaign spending after copper barons bribed lawmakers and dominated state politics. — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 6 Nov. 2026

The vast majority of that money was provided by California billionaires, including some of the state’s most powerful tech barons, opposing the wealth tax. — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026

Like Gladys, Consuelo was the daughter of a railroad baron and a Manhattan socialite. — Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2026

In the 13th century, as the Magna Carta encoded the rights of English barons, the Carta de Foresta laid out the rights of commoners to pasture cattle in the open places among the English forests. — James Whorton Jr, Longreads, 13 Oct. 2026

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