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mikado

mikado

1 9.9
An old name for the emperor of Japan once seen as a religious leader
  • noun
  • /mɪˈkɑːdoʊ/
  • Archaic
: mikado
  • It was The Mikado.
  • Mikado by Gilbert & Sullivan
  • the Hot Mikado
  • Mikado's song

Examples

  • A letter from the Mikado?

  • The Mikado, Act I, Part I

  • - I'm taking you to the Mikado next time.

  • It seems that you are the son of the Mikado.

  • I am the bearer of a letter from His Majesty, the Mikado.

  • The rikishas race away with us to the other side of town—past great forts and fosses, past the mikado's palaces.

    Blog text (22)
  • In ancient Japan, the mikado was seen as both a ruler and a spiritual leader.

  • The mikado issued decrees that guided the culture and traditions of the country.

  • People in the city often spoke of the mikado with great respect and reverence.

Synonyms

tenno
vsmikado
  • Formal
1 9.9

The emperor of Japan who is seen as a religious or spiritual leader

is mainly a historical term emphasizing religious leadership

Surface Forms

mikado singular
mikados plural

Etymology

Mikado comes from an old Japanese word made of mi- (an honor part) and kado ('gate'), so it first named the 'honorable gate' of the emperor's palace and later the emperor himself, and that's why mikado in English means the emperor of Japan, especially in older or historical writing.