King  n. 1 (as a title usu. King) male sovereign, esp. A hereditary ruler. 2 pre-eminent person or thing (oil king). 3 (attrib.) Large (or the largest) kind of plant, animal, etc. (king penguin). 4 chess piece which must be checkmated for a win. 5 crowned piece in draughts. 6 court-card depicting a king. 7 (the king) national anthem when the sovereign is male.  kingly adj. Kingship n. [old english]