# napoleon

/nəˈpoʊɫiən/ (US) · /næpˈəʊlɪən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/napoleon
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. historical leader

noun · CEFR A2

Napoleon Bonaparte, the famous French military leader and emperor who lived about 200 years ago.

For teachers: Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821), the French military commander and political leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution.

- History students often study how Napoleon changed the laws of Europe.
- The strategic innovations introduced by Napoleon during the Italian campaign fundamentally altered the nature of European warfare for the next century.

### 2. a type of pastry

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

a sweet dessert made of many thin layers of pastry with cream in between.

For teachers: A rectangular pastry consisting of several layers of puff pastry alternating with cream or jam, often topped with icing.

- We shared a delicious Napoleon for dessert at the French bakery.
- The chef prepared a traditional Napoleon, ensuring the puff pastry remained crisp despite the rich vanilla custard filling.

### 3. a dominant person

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a person who is very successful or powerful in their job, especially if they are very ambitious or tough.

For teachers: A person who resembles Napoleon Bonaparte in their ability to dominate a specific field, often through a combination of skill and ruthlessness.

- The new CEO is a real Napoleon who wants to control every small detail.
- He was considered the Napoleon of the local tech industry, having systematically dismantled his competitors through aggressive acquisitions and legal maneuvers.

### 4. a card game

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

a simple card game for five people that was popular in the 1800s.

For teachers: A five-card trick-taking game simplified from euchre, popular in the 19th century.

- The old book described how to play a game of Napoleon during long winter nights.
- In the Victorian era, Napoleon was a common pastime among soldiers, though it has since been largely supplanted by more complex card games.

## Examples

- My boss is a total Napoleon who loves to shout.
- The new manager is a bit of a Napoleon, constantly trying to prove his authority by making unnecessary rules.
- Psychologists often debate whether the behavior of a so-called Napoleon is a genuine personality trait or merely a social stereotype projected onto shorter men who show any degree of ambition.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.