Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One of a line of military commanders who from 1192 until 1867 were generally the actual rulers of Japan, although nominally subordinate to the emperor.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun General: the title of the commander-in-chief or captain-general of the Japanese army during the continuance of the feudal system in that country.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A title originally conferred by the Mikado on the military governor of the eastern provinces of Japan. By gradual usurpation of power the Shoguns (known to foreigners as Tycoons) became finally the virtual rulers of Japan. The title was abolished in 1867.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The supreme generalissimo of feudal Japan.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a hereditary military dictator of Japan; the shoguns ruled Japan until the revolution of 1867-68

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Japanese shōgun, general, from Middle Chinese tsiaŋkyn (also the source of Mandarin jiāngjūn) : tsiaŋ, to take, bring, undertake, support + kyn, army.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Japanese 将軍 (shōgun), from an abbreviation of 征夷大将軍 (Seii Taishogun) which means the general who overcomes the barbarians.

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Examples

  • This is the temple of the second shogun, which is noteworthy for the beauty of the decoration of the sanctum and the tomb.

    The Critic in the Orient George Hamlin Fitch 1888

  • The shogun was a misogynist, and Yasuaki understood well that men who profess to hate women become the slave of the fair sex when their alleged repugnance is overcome.

    A History of the Japanese People From the Earliest Times to the End of the Meiji Era Dairoku Kikuchi 1886

  • The hearing by the shogun was the last recourse, and before submission to him the facts had to be investigated by the chamberlains (sobashu), who thus exercised great influence.

    A History of the Japanese People From the Earliest Times to the End of the Meiji Era Dairoku Kikuchi 1886

  • Hopefully he'll be consistent and call shogun before his next fight!

    UFC blog for UFC news, results, videos, rumors, fights, pics and tickets -- MMAmania.com 2009

  • Many of those buried here contributed to the modernization of Japan in one way or another during the Meiji Restoration -- a revolutionary period beginning in the late 1860s that was marked by the downfall of the shogunate ( "shogun" was the title given to the hereditary military commanders who ruled the country for 700 years) and feudalism and the creation of the modern state.

    Yokohama 2009

  • I have elsewhere said that the title "shogun" originally signified, as did the Roman military term Imperator, only a commander-in-chief: it now became the title of the supreme ruler de facto, in his double capacity of civil and military sovereign, -- the King of kings.

    Japan: an Attempt at Interpretation Lafcadio Hearn 1877

  • Calling himself the "shogun" (a Japanese war lord who served as the virtual ruler of the country in feudal times), he said all the other big men "have to come upstairs and see me."

    unknown title 2009

  • I also suspect that Dane 101's readership (well represented here by "shogun" in the initial comment) likely follows irrational suit.

    Dane101 2009

  • she certainly seemed nice enough in high school, though her preferred friends probably could not have quoted yoda, and probably have not spent all of spring break reading "shogun" by james clavell. however, i certainly thought well enough of her to remember her after ten years with vague well-wishes.

    people you haven't seen in a very long time, and didn't know very well when you did know them 2007

  • she certainly seemed nice enough in high school, though her preferred friends probably could not have quoted yoda, and probably have not spent all of spring break reading "shogun" by james clavell. however, i certainly thought well enough of her to remember her after ten years with vague well-wishes.

    Archive 2007-01-01 2007

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