the title applied to the chief military commanders from about the 8th century a.d. to the end of the 12th century, then applied to the hereditary officials who governed Japan, with the emperor as nominal ruler, until 1868, when the shogunate was terminated and the ruling power was returned to the emperor.
Also, shōgun.
Origin
1605-15; < Japaneseshōgun, earlier shaũgun < Middle Chinese, equivalent, to Chinesejiāngjūn literally, lead the army
Related forms
shogunal, adjective
Examples from the web for shogun
Such elaborately decorated conveyances were reserved for the shogun's family, especially his brides.
He was fluent in the language and eventually translated for the shogun.
Instruct students to use available resources to research the term shogun.
The shogun controlled foreign policy, the military and feudal patronage.
British Dictionary definitions for shogun
shogun
/ˈʃəʊˌɡuːn/
noun (Japanese history)
1.
(from 794 ad) a chief military commander
2.
(from about 1192 to 1867) any of a line of hereditary military dictators who relegated the emperors to a position of purely theoretical supremacy
Derived Forms
shogunal, adjective
Word Origin
C17: from Japanese, from Chinese chiang chün general, from chiang to lead + chün army
Word Origin and History for shogun
n.
1610s, "hereditary commander of a Japanese army," from Japanese (sei-i-tai) shogun "(barbarian-subduing) chief" (late 12c.), sound-substitution for Chinese chiang chiin, literally "lead army."