realm
Americannoun
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a royal domain; kingdom.
the realm of England.
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the region, sphere, or domain within which anything occurs, prevails, or dominates.
the realm of dreams.
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the special province or field of something or someone.
the realm of physics; facts within the realm of political scientists.
noun
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a royal domain; kingdom (now chiefly in such phrases as Peer of the Realm )
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a field of interest, study, etc
the realm of the occult
Related Words
See kingdom.
Other Word Forms
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
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100 SAT words Beginning with "R"
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Beowulf vocabulary
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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 new study pushes this idea further into the quantum realm.
From Science Daily • May 18, 2026
Even the gloomiest prognosticator thinks a formal default is highly unlikely, and the idea that it might happen within six years is in the very outside realm of risk.
From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026
It suspends us in that mutable realm, placing us—restlessly, almost hypnotically—in the ever-moving present.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
Once agents are allowed to take automated actions, which is what makes them so useful, it takes things out of the realm of human error.
From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026
I landed in New York with nothing but the robes on my back and my ancient Staff of Dragonfire, which does not work in this mundane realm.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
