realm
Americannoun
-
realms
plural
-
a royal domain; kingdom.
the realm of England.
-
the region, sphere, or domain within which anything occurs, prevails, or dominates.
the realm of dreams.
-
the special province or field of something or someone.
the realm of physics; facts within the realm of political scientists.
noun
-
a royal domain; kingdom (now chiefly in such phrases as Peer of the Realm )
-
a field of interest, study, etc
the realm of the occult
Synonym Usage
See kingdom.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of realm
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English realme, reaume, Old French reialme, from Latin regimen “guidance, direction, rule,” influenced by Old French reial “royal” ( see origin at royal)
Explanation
A realm is an area that is ruled by something. If you are a controlling cook who doesn’t like anyone to do anything else in the kitchen, then the kitchen is your realm. Realm comes from the French for kingdom, but since there aren’t so many kings or queens left in the world, you’ll more often find it referring to non-royal spheres. That could be the sphere of a special kind of knowledge, like the realm of biology, or the political realm. Or it could be an area dominated by some group. Little Italy was famously the realm of the mafia; Hollywood is the realm of film stars.
Vocabulary lists containing realm
Vocabulary from "Stop Expecting Games to Build Empathy" by Julie Muncy
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT words Beginning with "R"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Beowulf vocabulary
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
The other one, it’s more in the romantic realm.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
He was, at one time or other, a senior Conservative politician, a best-selling author, a peer of the realm, and a convicted perjurer.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
That is appallingly unique throughout the entire realm of American government.
From Slate ● Oct. 5, 2026
Then we tumble into the realm of inspirational gurus and thought leaders, where breathwork and manifesting meet motivational speak, popping with familiar verbal kernels like “sparking joy” and “habit formation.”
From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026
Of course, Clare had never seen the door of a realm up close.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
He wasn’t the guest Cindy had expected, but surprises are a gift in nursing homes, which can be realms of rigid routine.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
We look to be back in the realms of a two-horse race and the two horses have experienced jockeys now, not two Old Firm apprentices like Russell Martin and Wilfried Nancy.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
Miyazaki’s tales also tend to immerse us in supernatural domains existing parallel to our own, as if reality masks more ethereal, life-affirming realms.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
"Used properly, AI can open doors to whole new realms to explore."
From Science Daily ● Apr. 23, 2026
He invited King Joffrey to send an envoy to the Iron Islands to fix the borders between their realms and discuss a possible alliance. lyrion read the letter three times and set it aside.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
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.
