empire

[ em-pahyuhr; for 8–10 also om-peer ]

/ ˈɛm paɪər; for 8–10 also ɒmˈpɪər /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR empire ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a group of nations or peoples ruled over by an emperor, empress, or other powerful sovereign or government: usually a territory of greater extent than a kingdom, as the former British Empire, French Empire, Russian Empire, Byzantine Empire, or Roman Empire.

a government under an emperor or empress.

(often initial capital letter) the historical period during which a nation is under such a government: a history of the second French empire.

supreme power in governing; imperial power; sovereignty: Austria's failure of empire in central Europe.

supreme control; absolute sway: passion's empire over the mind.

a powerful and important enterprise or holding of large scope that is controlled by a single person, family, or group of associates: The family's shipping empire was founded 50 years ago.

(initial capital letter) a variety of apple somewhat resembling the McIntosh.

adjective

(initial capital letter) characteristic of or developed during the first French Empire, 1804–15.

(usually initial capital letter) (of women's attire and coiffures) of the style that prevailed during the first French Empire, in clothing being characterized especially by décolletage and a high waistline, coming just below the bust, from which the skirt hangs straight and loose.

(often initial capital letter) noting or pertaining to the style of architecture, furnishings, and decoration prevailing in France and imitated to a greater or lesser extent in various other countries, c1800–30: characterized by the use of delicate but elaborate ornamentation imitated from Greek and Roman examples or containing classical allusions, as animal forms for the legs of furniture, bas-reliefs of classical figures, motifs of wreaths, torches, caryatids, lyres, and urns and by the occasional use of military and Egyptian motifs and, under the Napoleonic Empire itself, of symbols alluding to Napoleon I, as bees or the letter N.

Origin of empire

1250–1300; Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French < Latin imperium; see empery

SYNONYMS FOR empire

4 dominion, rule, supremacy.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR empire ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM empire

in·ter·em·pire, adjective pre-Em·pire, adjective pro·em·pire, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH empire

empire umpire

Words nearby empire

emphasis, emphasize, emphatic, emphatically, emphysema, empire, empire builder, empire building, empire day, empire state, empire state building

Example sentences from the Web for empire

Empire will be hate-watched and may set off some conversations on its way from fading from our minds.

‘Empire’ Review: Hip-Hop Musical Chairs with an Insane Soap Opera Twist |Judnick Mayard |January 8, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
The Virologist By Andrew Marantz, New Yorker How a young entrepreneur built an empire by repackaging memes.

The Daily Beast’s Best Longreads, Dec 29-Jan 4, 2014 |William Boot |January 4, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
Another rumor that has existed since before The Empire Strikes Back was released.

Juiciest ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Rumors (and Some Debunked Ones) |Rich Goldstein |January 3, 2015 |DAILY BEAST
In the midst of the Michael Savage drama, the Talk Radio Network empire entered into another major lawsuit.

The Godfather of Right-Wing Radio |Caitlin Dickson |November 23, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

A sold-out crowd of 800 (mostly) women packed the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre in San Antonio to take part in the event.

Live from San Antonio: Women in the World Texas! |Women in the World |October 23, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
They brought with them from the old colonies their educational traditions and their devotion to the flag of the Empire.

Ryerson Memorial Volume |J. George Hodgins
All these are matters of interest to every house and family in the empire.

The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction |Various
Brut'tium is the modern Cala'bria, and received that name when the ancient province was wrested from the empire.

Pinnock's Improved Edition of Dr. Goldsmith's History of Rome |Oliver Goldsmith
Bayezid next turned his attention to Asia Minor, where he was mainly ambitious to add to his Empire.

The Turkish Empire, its Growth and Decay |Lord Eversley
The empire did not encourage literature, it silenced philosophy, and oppressed the talent that did not glorify itself.

The Women of the French Salons |Amelia Gere Mason

British Dictionary definitions for empire (1 of 2)

empire

/ (ˈɛmpaɪə) /

noun

an aggregate of peoples and territories, often of great extent, under the rule of a single person, oligarchy, or sovereign state

any monarchy that for reasons of history, prestige, etc, has an emperor rather than a king as head of state

the period during which a particular empire exists

supreme power; sovereignty

a large industrial organization with many ramifications, esp a multinational corporation

Other words from empire

Related adjective: imperial

Word Origin for empire

C13: from Old French, from Latin imperium rule, from imperāre to command, from parāre to prepare

British Dictionary definitions for empire (2 of 2)

Empire

/ (ˈɛmpaɪə) /

noun the Empire

See British Empire

French history

the period of imperial rule in France from 1804 to 1815 under Napoleon Bonaparte
Also called: Second Empire the period from 1852 to 1870 when Napoleon III ruled as emperor

adjective

denoting, characteristic of, or relating to the British Empire

denoting, characteristic of, or relating to either French Empire, esp the first: in particular, denoting the neoclassical style of architecture and furniture and the high-waisted style of women's dresses characteristic of the period

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

empire

noun

adjective

Origin of empire

SYNONYMS FOR empire

OTHER WORDS FROM empire

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH empire

Words nearby empire

Example sentences from the Web for empire

British Dictionary definitions for empire (1 of 2)

noun

Other words from empire

Word Origin for empire

British Dictionary definitions for empire (2 of 2)

noun the Empire

adjective

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

empire

noun

adjective

Origin of empire

SYNONYMS FOR empire

OTHER WORDS FROM empire

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH empire

Words nearby empire

Words related to empire

Example sentences from the Web for empire

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for empire (1 of 2)

noun

Other words from empire

Word Origin for empire

British Dictionary definitions for empire (2 of 2)

noun the Empire

adjective

British Dictionary definitions for empire (1 of 2)