Mongol Empire
/ˈmɒŋɡəl ˈɛmpaɪər/noun
The vast empire founded by Genghis Khan in the early 13th century, which became the largest contiguous land empire in history.
Did you know?The word “Mongol” has no universally accepted etymology, while “empire” descends from Latin imperium, meaning authoritative command or supreme power.
Etymological Timeline
8th–12th centuries
Mongolic
Mongγol
“The ethnonym used for the Mongol people; its deeper origin remains disputed among scholars.”
1206
Mongolic
Yeke Mongγol Ulus
““Great Mongol Nation” or “Great Mongol State,” the political designation associated with Genghis Khan’s unification of the Mongol tribes.”
13th century
Middle Mongolian
Mongγol ulus
“The Mongol realm or people’s state, used in the empire’s own political and historical traditions.”
14th century
Latin
imperium
“Supreme authority, command, or dominion; the source of English “empire.””
15th–16th centuries
English
Mongol empire
“An English designation for the dominion established by the Mongol conquests.”
Modern English
English
Mongol Empire
“The historical empire that expanded across much of Eurasia from the 13th century before fragmenting into successor khanates.”