What does kaiser mean?
Kaiser is a historical title for the German emperor and, in earlier usage, the Holy Roman Emperor. In English it most often appears in accounts of European and German history, where it may refer to rulers such as Kaiser Wilhelm II. The word also survives in the name kaiser roll, a large bread roll with a soft texture. Its modern use is therefore largely historical or attributive rather than a general word for an emperor. The title was borrowed into German from Latin Caesar, connecting the office of German emperor with the Roman imperial tradition and with the wider European development of monarchical titles. Today, kaiser can evoke both imperial history and the powerful, centralized authority associated with Germany before the First World War.
nounA title for the German emperor, especially the ruler of the German Empire, and formerly for the Holy Roman Emperor. In modern English, the word is mainly historical, though it is also used attributively for a large, soft bread roll.
- A title for the German emperor, especially the ruler of the German Empire.
- Formerly, a title for the Holy Roman Emperor.
- Attributively, a large, soft bread roll, as in kaiser roll.
"The Kaiser visited the front lines during a period of uneasy peace."
"The Kaiser’s reign was marked by military expansion and political consolidation."
"She bought a kaiser roll for lunch and toasted it with butter."
The plural is used when referring collectively to multiple German emperors, usually in historical writing.
"Historians have compared the kaisers’ responses to economic crisis."
The word that became a symbol of German emperors was borrowed from the name Caesar, linking Roman imperial history with later European monarchy.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does kaiser come from?
The English word comes through German Kaiser, a title derived from Middle High German kaiser. German borrowed the term from Latin Caesar, whose name became associated with the Roman emperor and later with rulers claiming Roman imperial authority. The title was used for German rulers and for the Holy Roman Emperor before becoming associated primarily with the emperors of the German Empire.
How kaiser is actually used
The word is usually historical in English and is often capitalized when it functions as a formal title. In the bread sense, it is commonly used in the compound kaiser roll; the capitalized German spelling is retained in that term as well.
Easily confused with kaiser
In historical German usage, Kaiser is usually capitalized as a title; the same spelling is also used for the German emperors and for a type of large bread roll.
A Kaiser was an emperor or sovereign, whereas a caller is someone who makes a telephone call or a visitor who attends an event.