- a state or sovereign exercising some degree of dominion over a dependent state, usually controlling its foreign affairs
- (as modifier): a suzerain power
- a feudal overlord
- (as modifier): suzerain lord
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
su•ze•rain
(so̅o̅′zə rin, -rān′),USA pronunciation n.
adj.
- World Historya sovereign or a state exercising political control over a dependent state.
- World History[Hist.]a feudal overlord.
adj.
- World Historycharacteristic of or being a suzerain.
- Latin sūsum, variant of sursum, contraction of subversum, neuter of subversus upturned; see sub-, verse) + (souv)erain sovereign
- French, equivalent. to sus above (
- 1800–10
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
suzerain /ˈsuːzəˌreɪn/ n
'suzerain' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):