baron

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A British nobleman of the lowest rank.
2. n. A nobleman of continental Europe, ranked differently in various countries.
3. n. A Japanese nobleman of the lowest rank.
4. n. Used as the title for such a nobleman.
5. n. A feudal tenant holding his rights and title directly from a king or another feudal superior.
6. n. A lord or nobleman; a peer.
7. n. One having great wealth, power, and influence in a specified sphere of activity: an oil baron.
8. n. A cut of beef consisting of a double sirloin.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. In Great Britain, the title of a nobleman holding the lowest rank in the peerage; a member of the baronage: as, Baron Arundell of Wardour; a Scotch baron. The children of barons have the title “Honorable.” Originally the barons, being the feudatories of princes, were the proprietors of land held by honorable service. Hence in ancient records the word barons comprehends all the nobility. All such in England had in early times a right to sit in Parliament. Anciently barons were greater, such as held their lands of the king in capite, or lesser, such as held their lands of the greater barons by military service in capite. “The present barons are— Barons by prescription, for that they and their ancestors have immemorially sat in the Upper House.
2. n. A title of the judges or officers of the English Court of Exchequer, hence called barons of the Exchequer, the president of the court being called chief baron.
3. n. In law and heraldry, a husband: as, baron and feme, husband and wife.
4. n. On the continent of Europe, especially in France and Germany, a member of the lowest order of hereditary nobility: in Germany, same as Freiherr.

Wiktionary

1. n. The male ruler of a barony.
2. n. A male member of the lowest rank of British nobility.
3. n. A particular cut of beef, made up of a double sirloin.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A title or degree of nobility; originally, the possessor of a fief, who had feudal tenants under him; in modern times, in France and Germany, a nobleman next in rank below a count; in England, a nobleman of the lowest grade in the House of Lords, being next below a viscount.
2. n. (Old Law), rare A husband.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a nobleman (in various countries) of varying rank
2. n. a very wealthy or powerful businessman
3. n. a British peer of the lowest rank