dynasty
Americannoun
-
dynasties
plural
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a sequence of rulers from the same family, stock, or group.
the Ming dynasty.
-
the rule of such a sequence.
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a series of members of a family who are distinguished for their success, wealth, etc.
noun
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a sequence of hereditary rulers
an Egyptian dynasty
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any sequence of powerful leaders of the same family
the Kennedy dynasty
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of dynasty
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Late Latin dynastīa, from Greek dynasteia; see dynast, -y 3
Explanation
A dynasty is a series of leaders in the same family, like the British Royal Family, or a local business dynasty, in which four generations have made their fortune at the family store. The word dynasty, pronounced "DIE-nas-tee," comes from the Greek word dynasteia, meaning "power, lordship, sovereignty." If you are part of a dynasty, you probably do have power — and also wealth, privilege. But there is also pressure to achieve as much as your parents, grandparents, and other relatives. Another kind of dynasty is found in sports — a team that wins many championships is a dynasty.
Vocabulary lists containing dynasty
Persepolis
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Ancient Egypt - Introductory
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East Asia - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Plenty of people outside of the Dodgers’ downcast clubhouse Thursday evening saw the Brewers’ four-game sweep of the defending back-to-back champions as the fall of a dynasty.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Where does this particular Milan dynasty start and end?
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
Saturday's celebrations mark the 115th anniversary of the toppling of China's Qing dynasty and the subsequent founding of the Republic of China.
From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2026
Following his victory, King Aegon I became the first monarch to rule Westeros from the Iron Throne and the founder of the Targaryen dynasty.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026
Because of such an attitude, Permian had established itself as perhaps the most successful football dynasty in the country—pro, college, or high school.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
The historic site is where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties would offer sacrifices and pray for bountiful harvests.
From BBC ● May 14, 2026
Modern college basketball is built to do one thing: destroy dynasties.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 4, 2026
But once Lurie won, he had little trouble attracting financial support from dynasties his family has known for decades.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 30, 2026
As part of dynasties at Manchester City and Liverpool, he won three Premier League titles, one Champions League, two FA Cups and one League Cup, as well as other honours.
From BBC ● Mar. 21, 2026
Aunt Alice did her usual toast: "To the Taylor and Lamb dynasties!"
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
