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Glite Dictionary
Lord High Chancellor

Lord High Chancellor

9.9
A senior government officer in the United Kingdom who leads the courts and chairs the House of Lords
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : Lord Alto Canciller
  • As the head of the judiciary, the Lord High Chancellor made a landmark decision that would shape the future of UK law.

Examples

  • The Richmond Daily Dispatch pays tribute to John Campbell, the Lord High Chancellor of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

    Blog text (9)

  • The Lord High Chancellor, knowing that this matter would be dealt with circumspectly, had deliberately spoken in low tones intended for His Majesty's ears alone.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Or is the man merely stupid?" The Lord High Chancellor paused to consider the question.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • "By the ash, no!" The Lord High Chancellor shuddered.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • "The Lord High Chancellor smiled faintly.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • The Lord High Chancellor had only to meet the eyes of the ever-watchful chamberlain to have the matter accomplished.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • The Green Caverns, it seems, Your Majesty," the Lord High Chancellor added, looking up from his perusal of the message, "could now be called the BoneBarel Caverns.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • The Lord High Chancellor presided over the meeting in the House of Lords, ensuring that the proceedings followed the proper protocols.

  • During the debate, the Lord High Chancellor intervened to maintain order and uphold the principles of justice.

Synonyms

Lord Chancellor
vsLord High Chancellor
  • UK
3 8.6

A senior government official in the United Kingdom who leads the courts and presides in the House of Lords

is the same office but named with the older formal full title

Surface Forms

Lord High Chancellor singular
Lord High Chancellors plural

Morphology

Lord + high + Chancellor

The components 'Lord' (noble), 'high' (senior), and 'Chancellor' (a senior official) transparently yield a general sense of a very senior official. However, the precise institutional role, judicial functions, and the specific historic/constitutional status of the UK 'Lord High Chancellor' are culturally specific and not derivable from the parts, so a B1 learner would grasp the broad idea but not the detailed meaning.

Etymology

Lord High Chancellor may come from old courts where the chancellor sat behind a small screen and kept the ruler's official seal and papers. The words Lord and High showed great rank, so today the Lord High Chancellor is the Crown's 'head of the courts' and leads the House of Lords.