dominus

Dominus is a Latin noun meaning "lord" or "master." In Classical Latin it denoted the owner or master of people or property, such as the head of a household or the owner of slaves, and by extension a person with authority. The feminine counterpart is domina. Grammatically, dominus is a second-declension masculine noun with forms such as nominative singular dominus, genitive domini, dative domino, accusative dominum, ablative domino, and vocative domine; the plural forms include nominative domini and genitive dominorum, among others. The term isrelated conceptually to ownership and governance within a household or estate.

In ancient Rome, dominus commonly referred to the master of a family or household and could indicate authority over dependents and slaves. It appeared in legal and social contexts to designate the owner of property and the person who held power within a domus (household). The term also established linguistic roots for related words such as dominium (ownership or property right) and dominion.

In Christian usage, Dominus is the standard Latin translation of "the Lord" and is widely used in liturgy and scripture. In the Latin Vulgate and Catholic Mass, Dominus is used to address God and Christ, for example in phrases such as "Dominus vobiscum" (The Lord be with you). The vocative form domine is used in prayers and invocations.

During the medieval and early modern periods, dominus increasingly functioned as a formal title for secular and ecclesiastical lords, appearing in charters and chronicles to designate persons of rank. Its legacy survives in legal and religious vocabulary, and in modern terms such as dominion and domain, which trace back to the same Latin root.