Black Rod

noun

: the principal usher of the House of Lords

Examples of Black Rod in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The production began when King Charles III and his wife, Camilla, made their way by carriage from Buckingham Palace to the Houses of Parliament, before MPs were summoned by Black Rod – a role established in the 1300s – to watch his speech in the House of Lords chamber. Rob Picheta, CNN, 17 July 2024 The role is currently held by Sarah Clarke, who was appointed in 2017 and in the following year, became the first woman Black Rod in 650 years of history. Armani Syed, TIME, 17 July 2024 The customs include a lawmaker being taken hostage, someone named Black Rod having a door slammed in her face three times, and a bejeweled crown arriving at the Palace of Westminster separate from the monarch, with its own escort. Washington Post, 9 May 2022 One official is called Black Rod, a sergeant-at-arms of sorts for the House of Lords. Maria Puente, USA TODAY, 11 May 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Black Rod.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Black Rod was in 1590

Dictionary Entries Near Black Rod

Cite this Entry

“Black Rod.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Black%20Rod. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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