Empire
/ˈɛm.paɪəɹ/noun
A group of territories or peoples ruled by a single sovereign state or ruler.
Did you know?Empire ultimately comes from Latin imperium, the legal power to command, which is tied to the same ancient root behind words like emperor and imperative.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*per-
“to try, risk, or venture; in later Latin development, the root fed ideas of testing and authority”
Latin
Latin
imperium
“command, authority, supreme power, rule”
Late Latin
Latin
imperium
“the dominion or authority of the Roman state”
Old French
Old French
empire
“rule, dominion; a realm under an emperor”
Middle English
English
empire
“sovereignty, dominion, or an imperial realm”
Modern English
English
empire
“a large political unit ruled by a single authority”
Explore more surprising origins