overlord

[ oh-ver-lawrd ]

/ ˈoʊ vərˌlɔrd /

a person who is lord over another or over other lords: to obey the will of one's sovereign and overlord.

a person of great influence, authority, power, or the like: the overlords of industry.

to rule or govern arbitrarily or tyrannically; domineer.

Origin of overlord

Middle English word dating back to 1150–1200; see origin at over-, lord

o·ver·lord·ship, noun

The overlordship became fixed in the crown of Castile, and the cofrada disappeared, although a similar body soon developed.

A History of Spain |Charles E. Chapman
That was a high thought, quite in keeping with the sense of overlordship bred of the upper stillnesses.

The Quickening |Francis Lynde
Lands owned by the commune without the overlordship of any chief either local or central.

The Fijians |Basil Thomson
The same thing happened when Athelstan claimed his overlordship.

The Danes in Lancashire and Yorkshire |S. W. Partington

From him he received the scepter of overlordship, and bearing it he went among the ships.

Young Folks Treasury, Volume 3 (of 12) |Various

overlord

/ (ˈəʊvəˌlɔːd) /

a supreme lord or master

overlordship, noun