king
UK[kɪŋ]US[kɪŋ]
n
a male ruler of a country who inherits his position by right of birth
n
a person or thing regarded as the best or most important in a particular sphere or group
Etymology
The word 'king' originates from the Old English 'cyning', which itself derives from the Proto-Germanic 'kuningaz'. This ancient term is thought to be related to the word 'kin', suggesting the original concept of a king was 'a man of (noble) birth' or 'the son of a clan'. The semantic logic evolved from this literal sense of familial lineage to denote the hereditary male leader of a people or nation. Its direct and ancient lineage makes it a core, unsegmentable word in the English lexicon.
Analysis
The word 'king' is a simplex word of Germanic origin. It is not productively formed from smaller, separable morphemes in modern English.
Examples
He was crowned king after his father's death.
The lion is often called the king of the jungle.
Elvis Presley is frequently referred to as the King of Rock and Roll.