# shogun

/ˈʃoʊɡən/ (US) · /ʃˈɒɡʌn/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shogun
Updated: 2026-05-19

## Definition

a powerful military leader in Japan who controlled the country for hundreds of years. The word is often used in history books to describe the highest military ruler.

For teachers: a military general or supreme commander who held de facto power in Japan during the feudal period. When capitalised, it refers specifically to the title of the highest military authority in the shogunate.

## Examples

- The shogun ruled Japan for over seven hundred years.
- Historians study the shogunate to understand how military power shaped Japanese society during the Edo period.
- The transition from imperial rule to shogunate authority marked a significant shift in Japanese governance, centralising military power under a single general while the emperor remained a symbolic figure.

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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.