English

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Etymology

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From Middle English oferrking, over-king; equivalent to over- +‎ king.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈəʊvə(ɹ)ˌkɪŋ/
  • Audio (UK):(file)

Noun

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overking (plural overkings)

  1. A king who has sovereignty over inferior kings or ruling princes; a ruler of an overkingdom; a king that is truly superior or supreme.
    • 1874, John Richard Green, A Short History of the English People:
      the King of Connaught, who was recognized as overking of the island by the rest of the tribe []
    • 1907, Katharine Coman, Elizabeth Kimball Kendall, A History of England, for High Schools and Academies[1], The Macmillan Company, page 122:
      "They have given me five-and-twenty overkings," protested John, and he at once turned to seek a way of evasion.
    • 1908, Henry Smith Williams, Scotland, Ireland, England since 1792[2], Hooper & Jackson, →ISBN, page 335:
      The latter asked the aid of Cond the overking, who took up their cause, and a fierce war arose, in which Cond was beaten and compelled to divide Ireland with his rival.
    • 1996, Jack George Thompson, Women in Celtic Law and Culture[3], Edwin Mellen Press, →ISBN, page 39:
      Celtic law, however, explicitly specified that any member of a tribe, including overkings/overqueens of provinces and Druid high priests/priestesses, could be stripped of their legal rights if they failed to execute the legal obligations of their stations.
    • 2000, Don Nardo, Rodney Castleden, King Arthur: The Truth Behind the Legend[4], Routledge, →ISBN, page 119:
      The difference between a dux bellorum and an overking is not clear, and it may be that the two concepts were elided into a single role.

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