Imperium
/ɪmˈpɪəriəm/noun
Supreme power or authority, especially the right to command or rule an empire.
Did you know?In Roman law, imperium was a specific legal power to command armies and govern, and it was symbolically tied to auspices and sacred authority, not just politics.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁em-
“to take, seize”
Latin
Latin
imperāre
“to command, order, enjoin”
Latin
Latin
imperium
“command, authority, supreme power”
Old French
Old French
empire
“dominion, realm, imperial rule”
Middle English
English
empire
“a realm ruled by an emperor”
Modern English
English
imperium
“supreme authority or dominion, especially in a political or military sense”
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