Dictionary.com
definitions

realm

[ relm ]
/ rɛlm /
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR realm ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.

RELATED CONTENT

namaskarRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE
Fiancé vs. FiancéeMuch debate and change surrounds the terms fiancé and fiancée in the recent past. English speakers borrowed these gendered terms from the French in the mid-19th century, importing both the masculine (fiancé) and feminine (fiancée). This term ultimately derives from Latin, fidare literally meaning “to trust,” combined with the suffix -ance, which is used to form nouns from existing verbs. But which form should you …
READ MORE

RELATED WORDS

domain, sphere, field, world, territory, dimension, province, neighborhood, purview, sweep, radius, empire, ground, zone, state, branch, department, scope, kingdom, monarchy

Nearby words

  1. realizable,
  2. realization,
  3. realize,
  4. reallocate,
  5. really,
  6. realpolitik,
  7. realtor,
  8. realty,
  9. ream,
  10. reamer

Origin of realm

1250–1300; Middle English realme, reaume < Old French reialme, derivative of reial < Latin rēgālis regal1
Related formsun·der·realm, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for realm

British Dictionary definitions for realm

realm

/ (rɛlm) /

noun

a royal domain; kingdom (now chiefly in such phrases as Peer of the Realm)
a field of interest, study, etcthe realm of the occult

Word Origin for realm

C13: from Old French reialme, from Latin regimen rule, influenced by Old French reial royal, from Latin rēgālis regal 1
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
Word Origin and History for realm

realm

n.

late 13c., "kingdom," from Old French reaume, probably from roiaume "kingdom," altered (by influence of Latin regalis "regal") from Gallo-Romance *regiminem, accusative form of Latin regimen "system of government, rule" (see regimen). Transferred sense "sphere of activity" is from late 14c.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper