French Conversation · Level 30
89 words
French word
seigneur
Pronunciation
IPA/sɛɲœʁ/
Meaning
- masculine nounlord
Example
Le seigneur du château est absent aujourd'hui.
The lord of the castle is absent today.
More examples
Il se prend pour le seigneur de l'immeuble.
He fancies himself the lord of the building.
Core concept
A noble lord above a castle estate, with authority over its land and the people living there.
Common phrases
se prendre pour le seigneur de l'immeuble
to fancy oneself the lord of the building
Similar words
propriétaire: A person who owns property or land.
maître: A person in a position of guidance or management.
Definition in French
Noble qui, surtout à l'époque féodale, détient un fief et exerce l'autorité sur la terre et ses habitants.
Word origin
Seigneur comes through Old French seignor from Latin senior, meaning "older" or "elder", and it came to denote a person of higher rank.
Usage tips
- In modern French, seigneur is mainly historical or literary, while propriétaire usually means an owner without the feudal sense.
Other meanings
- feudal lordnoun
- masternoun