lordling means an unimportant or petty lord. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
lordling is pronounced /ˈlɔːdlɪŋ/.
Why “lordling” is a great word
LORDLING — [Noun] A young, minor, or petty lord. From Middle English 'lordlyng', equivalent to 'lord' (from Old English 'hlāford', meaning master or ruler) + the diminutive or pejorative suffix '-ling' (denoting one belonging to or concerned with). Unlike 'lord,' which confers full authority and established rank, or 'aristocrat,' a broad and neutral classification, a lordling is defined by his insufficiency—a title worn like an ill-fitting doublet. He is the boy in an oversized tabard trying to command grizzled men-at-arms, the holder of a windswept acre he grandly calls a manor, the heir to a name that echoes in an empty hall; a title that is less an honor and more a diagnosis of inconsequence.
Etymology
From Middle English lordlyng; equivalent to lord + -ling.
noun
- An unimportant or petty lord.“He saw it clear enough, now that the lordling had pointed it out. “They couldn't have froze. Not if the Wall was weeping. It wasn't cold enough."”
- A young lord.