daimyo

noun

dai·​myo ˈdī-mē-ˌō How to pronounce daimyo (audio)
-(ˌ)myō
variants or less commonly daimio
plural daimyo or daimyos also daimio or daimios
: a Japanese feudal baron

Examples of daimyo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For more than a century, between 1467 and 1603, rival feudal lords known as daimyo fought for control of the Asian archipelago, attempting—with varying degrees of success—to unite the warring states. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Sep. 2024 Born into a minor daimyo family, Ieyasu spent part of his youth as a hostage under the powerful daimyo Imagawa Yoshimoto. Maddie Garfinkle, Peoplemag, 19 July 2024 Tatsuya Nakadai plays Ichimonji Hidetora, an aging daimyo determined to split his kingdom among his three sons, one of whom rejects the offer as foolish. Keith Phipps, Vulture, 26 May 2024 As Japan’s leader, Ieyasu took steps to curb the daimyo’s influence and prevent rival feudal lords from threatening his reign. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Feb. 2024 As Lockley explains, the daimyo ordered Yasuke to be washed, but his skin color remained unchanged. Jacquelyne Germain, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2023 Inside the temple, a Black samurai named Yasuke has a tense conversation with the Japanese daimyo (warlord) Oda Nobunaga. Jacquelyne Germain, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2023 Ishida Castle, the family seat of the former (and final) daimyo lord of Fukue, now functions as the local high school, as well as the city’s public library. Ashley Ogawa Clarke, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2022 The season finale ties up a few other loose threads after the massive shootout with the Pykes leaves Boba to reign over Mos Espa as its undisputed daimyo. Lauren Morgan, EW.com, 9 Feb. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Japanese daimyō

First Known Use

1727, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of daimyo was in 1727

Dictionary Entries Near daimyo

Cite this Entry

“Daimyo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/daimyo. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on daimyo

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!