paramount

/ˈpa.ɹə.maʊnt/noun

A leader or person who holds the highest authority.

Example sentence

“As paramount of the region, the elder settled disputes between the villages.”

Ordinary use is the adjective: safety is paramount. The noun sense survives in titles like 'paramount chief'.

Featured as word of the day on January 6, 2026.

Related words

parchedTo dry out and scorch the surface of something with intense heat.paramedicA trained and certified medical worker who treats patients in emergencies before they reach a hospital.parentSomeone who brings up a child, whether the child is their own by birth, adoption, or fostering.paragonSomeone so excellent that others treat them as the ideal example to copy.pariahSomeone whom society or their community refuses to accept; an outcast.paradoxA statement that appears to contradict itself yet might still be true.