Conquerour

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who subdues a people, territory or rival through military force ; a winner who overcomes an opponent or obstacle
2. Someone who takes control of a land or group by force of arms ; a champion who triumphs over an adversary or difficulty
3. One who gains dominion over others through conquest ; a triumphant figure who prevails over an enemy or challenge

Etymology: "Conquerour" is an older spelling of "conqueror," and the form that English used for centuries before the spelling was standardised. It came into Middle English from Old French "conquereor," which itself descended from the verb "conquerre," meaning to conquer. That Old French verb is the root of the modern English "conquer," so the two words share a family tree that stretches back through Latin. The surface shape of the word is simple: "conquer" with the agent ending "-or" attached, so a conqueror is literally one who conquers. The ending "-our" in the older spelling reflects French influence, the same spelling habit seen in words like "honour" and "favour." Over the later Middle English and early modern periods, English spellers gradually dropped the "u," and "conqueror" became the standard form.