preeminent

a competitor who holds a preeminent position n

ruler of a kingdom n a competitor who holds a preeminent position n a very wealthy or powerful businessman n preeminence in a particular category or group or field n United States woman tennis player (born in 1943) n United States guitar player and singer of the blues (born in 1925) n United States charismatic civil rights leader and Baptist minister who campaigned against the segregation of Blacks (1929-1968) n a checker that has been moved to the opponent's first row where it is promoted to a piece that is free to move either forward or backward n one of the four playing cards in a deck bearing the picture of a king n (chess) the weakest but the most important piece

preeminent eminent before or above others

r to a preeminent degree

in a preeminent manner