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sire

1. A lord, master, or other person in authority. See Sir. Pain and distress, sickness and ire, And melancholy that angry sire, be of her palace senators. (Rom. Of R)

2. A tittle of respect formerly used in speaking to elders and superiors, but now only in addressing a sovereign.

3. A father; the head of a family; the husband. Jankin thet was our sire [i.e, husband] (Chaucer) And raise his issue, like a loving sire. (Shak)

4. A creator; a maker; an author; an originator. [He] was the sire of an immortal strain. (Shelley)

5. The male parent of a beast; applied especially to horses; as, the horse had a good sire.

Sire is often used in composition; as in grandsire, grandfather; great-grandsire, great-grandfather.

Origin: F. Sire, originally, an older person. See Sir.