noun
mikado
mih-KAH-doh
noun
1
A historical title for the Emperor of Japan.
"The Mikado ruled from the imperial palace in Kyoto."
2
A game in which players try to remove sticks from a pile without disturbing the rest.
"The children played mikado on the living room floor."
How to Use Mikado
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA traditional title for Japan's emperor, and also the name of a pick-up-sticks style game.
Common pairings
play mikado
the Mikado of Japan
Word Forms
mikados plural, mikado plural
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The _____ ruled from the imperial palace in Kyoto.
Etymology
Borrowed from Japanese 御門 (mikado), literally "honourable gate" — a respectful, indirect way of referring to the emperor.