Definition of king
1a
: a male monarch of a major territorial unit
especially
: one whose position is hereditary and who rules for life
b
: a paramount chief
3
: one that holds a preeminent position
especially
: a chief among competitors
the cattle kings rode up from the south — Alan Moorehead even if no longer king, cotton remains the chief cash crop — Howell Walker
4
: the principal piece of each color in chess having the power to move ordinarily one square in any direction and to capture opposing pieces but being obliged never to enter or remain in check
5
: a playing card marked with a stylized figure of a king
6
: a checker that has been crowned
7
: chinook salmon
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for king
The first known use of king was before the 12th century
See more words from the same century