Meiji
Americannoun
noun
-
Japanese history the reign of Emperor Mutsuhito (1867–1912), during which Japan began a rapid process of Westernization, industrialization, and expansion in foreign affairs
-
the throne name of Mutsuhito (ˌmuːtsʊˈhiːtəʊ). 1852–1912, emperor of Japan (1867–1912)
Etymology
Origin of Meiji
1870–75; < Japanese meiji, earlier meidi enlightened peace < Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese míng bright + zhì pacify
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.
The authors are affiliated with one or more of the following institutions: Baylor College of Medicine, Louisiana State University, Nagoya University -- Japan and Meiji University -- Japan.
From Science Daily • Mar. 25, 2026
Europe today faces the same choices Japan did before the Meiji Restoration in 1868.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026
Last November, a 65-year-old American tourist was arrested on suspicion of scrawling graffiti onto a wooden gate at the Meiji Jingu shrine in Tokyo.
From BBC • Jul. 27, 2025
But two sisters, descendants of a disgraced samurai clan, want that box too, and the imperial secret placed within it by Emperor Meiji.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 3, 2024
It was, however, only after the inauguration of the Meiji era that education became thorough and universal.
From A Fantasy of Far Japan Summer Dream Dialogues by Suyematsu, Baron Kencho
Definitions 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.
