1. Plural of ealdorman; high-ranking officials or nobles in Anglo-Saxon England who governed shires and held military and judicial authority.
Usage: archaic; historical; Anglo-Saxon history

Examples

• The ealdormen of Wessex played a crucial role in defending the kingdom against Viking invasions.
• King Alfred appointed trusted ealdormen to oversee the administration of each shire.
• The ealdormen held both military command and judicial authority in their regions.
• Historical records describe the ealdormen as the most powerful landowners after the king himself.
• By the 10th century, the power of the ealdormen had grown significantly in Anglo-Saxon England.