empire

[ em-pahyuhr; for 8-10 also om-peer ]

/ ˈɛm paɪər; for 8-10 also ɒmˈpɪər /

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noun

a group of nations or peoples ruled over by an emperor, empress, or other powerful sovereign or government: usually a territory of greater extent than a kingdom, as the former British Empire, French Empire, Russian Empire, Byzantine Empire, or Roman Empire.

a government under an emperor or empress.

(often initial capital letter) the historical period during which a nation is under such a government: a history of the second French empire.

supreme power in governing; imperial power; sovereignty: The legacy of empire is complex, and always entwined with colonialism and nationalism.

supreme control; absolute sway: passion's empire over the mind.

a powerful and important enterprise or holding of large scope that is controlled by a single person, family, or group of associates: The family's shipping empire was founded 50 years ago.

(initial capital letter) a variety of apple somewhat resembling the McIntosh.

adjective

(initial capital letter) characteristic of or developed during the first French Empire, 1804–15.

(usually initial capital letter) (of women's attire and coiffures) of the style that prevailed during the first French Empire, in clothing being characterized especially by décolletage and a high waistline, coming just below the bust, from which the skirt hangs straight and loose.

(often initial capital letter) noting or pertaining to the style of architecture, furnishings, and decoration prevailing in France and imitated to a greater or lesser extent in various other countries, c1800–30: characterized by the use of delicate but elaborate ornamentation imitated from Greek and Roman examples or containing classical allusions, as animal forms for the legs of furniture, bas-reliefs of classical figures, motifs of wreaths, torches, caryatids, lyres, and urns and by the occasional use of military and Egyptian motifs and, under the Napoleonic Empire itself, of symbols alluding to Napoleon I, as bees or the letter N.

OTHER WORDS FOR empire

4 dominion, rule, supremacy.

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Origin of empire

1250–1300; Middle English <Anglo-French, Old French <Latin imperium;see empery

OTHER WORDS FROM empire

in·ter·em·pire, adjectivepre-Empire, adjectivepro·em·pire, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH empire

empire , umpire

Words nearby empire

emphasized, emphatic, emphatically, emphysema, em pica, empire, empire builder, empire building, Empire Day, Empire State, Empire State Building

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use empire in a sentence

Additionally, Earl — who built his empire on theme restaurants such as Planet Hollywood— is the founder of Virtual Dining Concepts, which oversees MrBeast Burger and Tyga Bites.
Welcome to Flavortown, Population: Us|Jaya Saxena|February 11, 2021|Eater
For the first four years of his charmed career, Mahomes won a Super Bowl, became the face of the NFL, started a business empire, transformed Kansas City’s image of itself, urged Americans to vote and launched a presumed dynasty.
What went wrong for the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes in a brutal Super Bowl defeat|Adam Kilgore|February 8, 2021|Washington Post
Much like the mysterious informant today, simply known as “Q,” Prokopios speaks to his intimate and first-hand knowledge of the secret dealings of empire.
What the QAnon of the 6th Century Teaches Us About Conspiracies|Roland Betancourt|February 3, 2021|Time
In “Filthy Rich,” Kim Cattrall’s character manages a televangelism empire as a widowed mother of three grown children who navigates — dramatically if not traumatically — the surprise arrival of three other adult children fathered by her late husband.
It’s time to end the TV trope of the needy empty-nest mom|Michele Weldon|February 2, 2021|Washington Post

A16z led both Clubhouse’s Series A and B and is trying to build out its own media empire.
Elon Musk quizzes Robinhood’s Vlad Tenev in a Clubhouse conversation|Lucinda Shen|February 1, 2021|Fortune
Empire will be hate-watched and may set off some conversations on its way from fading from our minds.
‘Empire’ Review: Hip-Hop Musical Chairs with an Insane Soap Opera Twist|Judnick Mayard|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The Virologist By Andrew Marantz, New Yorker How a young entrepreneur built an empire by repackaging memes.
The Daily Beast’s Best Longreads, Dec 29-Jan 4, 2014|William Boot|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
One wonders if his subsequent battles with the “Evil Empire” were animated by this belief.
The Evangelical Apocalypse Is All Your Fault|Jay Michaelson|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Another rumor that has existed since before The Empire Strikes Back was released.
Juiciest ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Rumors (and Some Debunked Ones)|Rich Goldstein|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Even the queen saw fit to honor him with the Order of the British Empire at Buckingham Palace in 2008.
The Greatest Rock Voice of All Time Belonged to Joe Cocker|Ted Gioia|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On the establishment of the Empire Berthier, like many another, received the reward for his faithfulness to Napoleon.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
Constantine the Great died, having divided the empire among his children and nephews.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
During that fortnight of silence the whole of the Turkish Empire has been moving—closing in—on the Dardanelles.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
She had seen England spread from an island into an empire; she had seen America spread from a colony into an empire.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
No Briton rejoiced more sincerely than this provincial American in the extension of the Empire.
The Eve of the Revolution|Carl Becker

British Dictionary definitions for empire (1 of 2)

empire

/ (ˈɛmpaɪə) /

noun

an aggregate of peoples and territories, often of great extent, under the rule of a single person, oligarchy, or sovereign state

any monarchy that for reasons of history, prestige, etc, has an emperor rather than a king as head of state

the period during which a particular empire exists

supreme power; sovereignty

a large industrial organization with many ramifications, esp a multinational corporation

Other words from empire

Related adjective: imperial

Word Origin for empire

C13: from Old French, from Latin imperium rule, from imperāre to command, from parāre to prepare

British Dictionary definitions for empire (2 of 2)

Empire

/ (ˈɛmpaɪə) /

noun the Empire

See British Empire

French history

the period of imperial rule in France from 1804 to 1815 under Napoleon Bonaparte
Also called: Second Empire the period from 1852 to 1870 when Napoleon III ruled as emperor

adjective

denoting, characteristic of, or relating to the British Empire

denoting, characteristic of, or relating to either French Empire, esp the first: in particular, denoting the neoclassical style of architecture and furniture and the high-waisted style of women's dresses characteristic of the period

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

empire

OTHER WORDS FOR empire

Origin of empire

OTHER WORDS FROM empire

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH empire

Words nearby empire

Words related to empire

How to use empire in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for empire (1 of 2)

Other words from empire

Word Origin for empire

British Dictionary definitions for empire (2 of 2)