name
Common
Caesar
SEE-zuh
Caesar (name) means an ancient Roman family name, most famously borne by Julius Caesar, and later used as a title for Roman and other emperors. Example: “Julius Caesar rose to become dictator of Rome.”
name
1
An ancient Roman family name, most famously borne by Julius Caesar, and later used as a title for Roman and other emperors.
"Julius Caesar rose to become dictator of Rome."
"Five of the Caesares were killed during the years 90-85 (D. G., 3, 114)."
— Collection Latomus (1975)
"He was joined on this commission by C. Caesar Strabo (RE Iulius no. 135), of another branch of the Caesares, who had stressed his heritage by adding the old Julian praenomen Vopiscus (see the cos. 473, MRR 1.29) to his name as a cognomen."
— Ernst Badian, From the Iulii to Caesar (2009)
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like Caesar.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- Caesars, Caesares
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Julius _____ rose to become dictator of Rome.
Etymology
From Latin Caesar; the root behind titles like Kaiser and tsar.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for Caesar
See all rhymes for Caesar →Frequently asked questions
What does “Caesar” mean?
The word “Caesar” means an ancient Roman family name, most famously borne by Julius Caesar, and later used as a title for Roman and other emperors.
How do you pronounce “Caesar”?
“Caesar” is pronounced SEE-zuh (/ˈsizəɹ/ in IPA).
How do you use “Caesar” in a sentence?
Here is “Caesar” used in a sentence: “Julius Caesar rose to become dictator of Rome.”
What part of speech is “Caesar”?
“Caesar” is a name.
Where does the word “Caesar” come from?
The word “Caesar” comes from Latin. From Latin Caesar; the root behind titles like Kaiser and tsar.
Is “Caesar” a common word?
“Caesar” is a fairly common word in modern English.
Is "Caesar" a name or a title?
"Caesar" started as a Roman family name, most famously borne by Julius Caesar, and later became a title used by Roman and other emperors. So it functions as both a specific historical name and a general title of imperial rank.
Why do some monarchs' titles, like Tsar or Kaiser, come from "Caesar"?
After Julius Caesar's name became linked with supreme Roman authority, later rulers adopted "Caesar" as a title signifying imperial power. Titles such as Tsar in Russia and Kaiser in Germany both derive historically from this same Roman name.
Is "Caesar" always capitalized?
Yes, "Caesar" is capitalized as a proper noun, whether referring to the historical Julius Caesar or used as a formal title for an emperor. This holds even when used more generally to evoke Roman imperial authority.
