dominion

American  

[duh-min-yuhn] / dəˈmɪn jən /

noun

dominions plural

1. the power or right of governing and controlling; sovereign authority.

2. rule; control; domination.

3. a territory, usually of considerable size, in which a single rulership holds sway.

4. lands or domains subject to sovereignty or control.

5. Government. a territory constituting a self-governing commonwealth and being one of a number of such territories united in a community of nations, or empire: formerly applied to self-governing divisions of the British Empire, as Canada and New Zealand.

6. Theology. dominions, domination.

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dominion British  

/ dəˈmɪnjən /

noun

1. rule; authority

2. the land governed by one ruler or government

3. sphere of influence; area of control

4. a name formerly applied to self-governing divisions of the British Empire

5. New Zealand

6. law a less common word for dominium

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• self-dominion
  noun
• interdominion
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• dominions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of dominion

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Medieval Latin dominiōn- (unrecorded), stem of dominiō (unrecorded) “lordship,” from Latin domin(ium) dominium + -iō -ion

Explanation

When you are in charge of something or rule it, you have dominion over it. The most famous use of the word occurs in the Christian Bible, when God grants people dominion over other animals. If you know the word domination, then you won't be surprised that dominion also has to do with a type of ruling over others. This is an old-fashioned and Biblical-sounding word for having power. A king has dominion over his kingdom. You'd never say the President has dominion, because we live in a democracy. Dominion implies more power than that — even absolute power. A dominion can also be an area or territory controlled by a larger country or state.

Example Sentences

“I did some digging because I couldn’t believe something that hateful existed,” he says of the network, specifically its landmark $787-million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 19, 2026

The largest U.S. utility is about to buy Dominion Energy, a big peer with data-center exposure.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

But its prospects don’t look any dimmer than they did before the deal news, with or without Dominion.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

The announcement caused shares of LTL competitors Old Dominion, XPO, and FedEx Freight to fall.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

Dominion won by fear and secured by fear was still sweeter than any that could be got another way.

From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison