Black Rod
Preserved but no longer current.
The short title of a Court official, who is styled fully "Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod," so called from his staff of office — a black wand surmounted by a golden lion. He is the Chief Gentleman Usher of the Lord Chamberlain's Department, and also Usher to the House of Lords and the Chapter of the Garter.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Black Rod” mean?
The short title of a Court official, who is styled fully "Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod," so called from his staff of office — a black wand surmounted by a golden lion. He is the Chief Gentleman Usher of the Lord Chamberlain's Department, and also Usher to the House of Lords and the Chapter of the Garter.
Is “Black Rod” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.