principality
Americannoun
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principalities
plural
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a state ruled by a prince, usually a relatively small state or a state that falls within a larger state such as an empire.
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the position or authority of a prince or chief ruler; sovereignty; supreme power.
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the rule of a prince of a small or subordinate state.
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British. the Principality, Wales.
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Theology. principalities,
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an order of angels.
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supramundane powers often in conflict with God. Ephesians 6:12.
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Obsolete. preeminence.
noun
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a territory ruled by a prince
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a territory from which a prince draws his title
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the dignity or authority of a prince
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of principality
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English principalite, from Old French, from Late Latin prīncipālitās “first place, superiority” ( Medieval Latin: “authority or territory of a prince”). See principal, -ity
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:
"This is the first time in history, to my knowledge, that such an act has taken place in the principality," Mirmand, the head of Monaco's government, said.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
The visit to the principality on the French riviera will take place on March 28 and will be the first papal trip to the city state in modern times.
From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026
Luis Enrique was asked about those comments after arriving in Monaco on Monday, on the eve of the Champions League play-off first leg against the principality side.
From Barron's ● Feb. 16, 2026
Yes, you can enjoy the principality of Monaco, with its casinos, yachts and Grand Prix, without a princely budget.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 10, 2026
Faerie, after all, is not one land, one principality or dominion.
From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman
Local news outlets reported fires have broken out between the Samacá and Cucaita principalities, citing Samacá fire department authorities, who say high temperatures and strong winds have caused rapid spreading of the fires.
From Salon ● Jan. 30, 2024
"Districts of the capital are not separate principalities where you can walk around in white gloves and neglect your duties," he said, adding that he would not tolerate "sabotage".
From Reuters ● Jun. 2, 2023
Mongol invasions of the thirteenth century transformed the political landscape in Anatolia, however, and a number of small Turkic principalities emerged in the region in the wake of these disruptive invasions.
From Textbooks ● Dec. 14, 2022
They begin: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come."
From BBC ● Dec. 2, 2022
Because of this there arose the frequent rebellions in Spain, France, and Greece against the Romans, all because of the numerous principalities that existed in those regions.
From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli
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.
