king

KING/kɪŋ/

17 meanings of king

1
male monarchnouncountable
A man who rules a country, usually because he was born into the royal family.
Like the head of a family, but in charge of a whole country.
The king lived in a huge stone castle on the hill.
People bowed low as the king walked past them.
UsageSay the king of a country, and King before a name.
Similarmonarch, sovereign, ruler
2
top personnouncountable
The most powerful or important person or thing in an area, as in 'the king of rock' or 'cash is king'.
Like the strongest player on a team that everyone looks up to.
He was the king of late-night television for twenty years.
That little shop is the king of fresh bagels in our town.
UsageSay the king of something, like the king of comedy.
Note
3
big bednouncountable
A very large bed, bigger than most other beds.
Like the biggest size you can pick at a furniture store.
We sleep in a king, so there's plenty of room.
The hotel room had a huge king against the far wall.
Note
4
playing cardnouncountable
A playing card marked with a K and a picture of a king.
Like a high card that beats most of the others in the deck.
She drew the king of hearts from the deck.
He needed one more king to win the hand.
UsageSay the king of spades.
Note
5
large kindnoun
Used in the names of some animals and plants to show a very big or special kind.
We ate king crab legs at a restaurant by the sea.
The zoo has a family of king penguins.
UsageSay king crab or king penguin.
Note

Less common meanings

6
chessnouncountable
The most important piece in chess, which the other player tries to trap to win.
Like the one player in a game everyone must defend or lose.
She moved her king one square to the side.
You must protect your king at all times.
Note
7
nouncountable
A checkers piece that reached the far row and got crowned, letting it move more freely.
Like a game piece that levels up and gains new powers.
She got a king and jumped backward across the board.
Once you have a king, you can move both ways.
Note
8
promote (checkers)verbtransitive
To make a checkers piece a king after it reaches the far side of the board.
She kinged her piece and started moving it backward to defend.
You can king a checker once it reaches the last row.
UsageSay a checker gets kinged.
Similarcrown
Note
9
verbtransitive
To make someone a king, usually in a royal ceremony.
Similarcrown, enthrone
Oppositedepose, dethrone
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10
ruleverbtransitive or intransitive
To rule a country or people as its king.
Like being in charge of a whole town and making all the rules.
The new king soon learned that kinging was harder than fighting.
He loved the crown and the feasts, but he hated the hard work of kinging.
Similarrule, reign
Note
11
admired mannounslangcountable
A man people like and respect, often used when talking to him to praise or cheer him on.
Thanks for the ride home, king!
You passed your driving test? You're a king!
UsageSay Thanks, king! to praise a man.
Similarlegend, hero
Note
12
boss aroundverb
To act as if you are better than everyone else and boss them around.
Like a kid who bosses everyone around just because they feel important.
He likes to king it over his younger brothers and sisters.
The new supervisor kinged it over the whole team from day one.
UsageSay king it over people.
Similarlord
13
perform dragverbintransitive
To dress up and perform on stage as a drag king.
She started to king at local drag shows about a year ago.
He's been kinging at the cabaret almost every weekend.
Note
14
center pinnouncountable
The middle pin in bowling, set in the center of the others.
Like the middle block in a stack: hit it and the rest topple.
At the skittles alley, he aimed his ball straight at the king in the middle.
Knock down the king in the middle, and the pins around it often fall too.
Note
15
big rolling papernounslangUKcountable
A big paper used for rolling a cigarette by hand.
He pulled out a king and started rolling at the kitchen table.
Can I borrow a king? I've got the tobacco but no papers.
Note
16
nouncountable
A male dragonfly.
17
noun
In math, a point in a network of arrows that can reach every other point by following one or two arrows.

Practice

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Origin

The word "king" comes from Old English "cyning," going back to Proto-Germanic. It is related to the word "kin" (family).

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 4 facts

The word "king" comes from Old English "cyning". en.wiktionary.org
The word's ancestry goes back to Proto-Germanic. en.wiktionary.org
"King" is etymologically related to "kin". en.wiktionary.org
"Kin" means family. en.wiktionary.org